Four's A Charm: The Akashic Heiress
by Princess Pinky
Summary: Sequel to, Change Happens. Paige embraces her inner whitelighter and enjoys the perks, Piper realizes why she should be thankful for being a witch, a mortal cousin makes an appearance, and what about those UFOs?
1. The Past And The Furious

A/N: This is the sequel to, _Change Happens_. It is the eighth in my series. I hope you will all like this as much as the first seven. For those of you who haven't read the first seven stories, I advise you to do so. I'll post a summary of the first six below my reviews and a list at the bottom with the main characters and their powers. This is a subplot that I'm really proud of, and I really hope you all will enjoy it as well. (I can't stress enough how many things the show could've gone into, kept continuity, and didn't. Grr!)

_Charmed At Last_ – Summary: Piper & Leo are married and have been trying to have children for a while now. Phoebe and Cole are dating but they still haven't figured a way around the whole bounty hunter situation; Cole never became The Source and is still Balthezor. The Source was never vanquished, either. Paige and Glenn are just beginning to date, as in, a serious relationship. Glenn goes away on another trip, when Paige finds out she's pregnant. She tells her sisters and then they are attacked by a demon. That's when their eldest sister, who had supposedly died, comes and saves their lives. The truth that Prue never died is revealed and that Paige's pregnancy has allowed her to return home. They must begin their real destiny, with the, Power of Four. When Glenn returns, Paige tells him that she is pregnant; they soon are married. A few months later Paige gives birth to a beautiful baby girl named, Pearlinda Melody Belland, Pearl for short. In the finale, Piper finds out that she is pregnant. By this time, Pearl is about six months old.

_Family Affair_ – Summary: This takes place almost 2 years after the finale of _Charmed At Last_. Paige's daughter, Pearl, is almost three-years-old and Piper's daughter, Phiona, is almost two-years-old. Paige and Glenn are happily married and so are Piper and Leo. The story starts off with Phoebe and Cole's wedding; Phoebe is also about four months pregnant with her and Cole's first child. Prue is still single and receives a third power during this time. The sisters and their husbands go through the traumatic time of yet a third Halliwell pregnancy and soon Phoebe gives birth to a healthy baby girl named, Pamela Victoria Turner, Pam for short. Then the sisters must deal with all the trouble that normal toddlers get into, plus the added effect of magic from two little witch-whitelighter-mortals, while learning how to control a newborn witch-demoness-mortal.

_Together Forever As One_ – Summary: This takes place about one year after Pam's first birthday. Pearl is now about five-years-old and in Kindergarten, Phiona is about four-years-old, & Pam is about two-years-old. For Piper & Leo, Phoebe & Cole, and Paige & Glenn; things are going smoothly. Considering they have wild little magical children to look after. Prue is still single. The story starts off on Prue's thirty-fourth birthday. She is feeling kind of down since each of her sister's has a wonderful little girl and she is yet to have a child, but in the future, she saw that she had a daughter. Then as a surprise for her birthday, The Elders allow Andy Trudeau to return for twenty-four hours, to spend with Prue. He isn't a ghost/spirit during this twenty-four hour period, but just as alive as everyone else. Prue and Andy make up for lost time and then sleep together before Andy has to leave again. One month after Prue & Andy's night together, Prue finds out she is pregnant, with Andy's child! Now Prue must face going through a magical pregnancy and trying to be a single mom. Sure her sisters, brother-in-laws, and nieces will be there for her but nothing can replace a husband and a father for her child.

_The Blessed Ones_ – Summary: This takes place two years after Pandora's first birthday. Pearl is eight-years-old, Phiona is seven-years-old, Pam is five-years-old, & Pandora is three-years-old. The Halliwell sisters have decided to take their children out of public school, starting this year. Pearl, Phiona, & Pam now go to a small school, taught by, The Star Coven. Not only do they learn what they would normally learn, but they also are taught how to use their powers, the history of magic, and they can interact with magical children their own age. Pearl, Phiona, Pam, and Pandora are the Blessed Ones; the most powerful good witches that exist, as of this time period. But then a young teenage girl shows up at the door of the Halliwell Manor. Everyone finds out that Phoebe had kept not only a secret in New York, but a daughter! The daughter that she and the evil witch James Kline had together, when Phoebe was nineteen-years-old. Her daughter's name is Persia Patty Halliwell and has the power of electrokinesis; the ability to create and control electricity. She is very powerful. Then Piper discovers some shocking news. She's pregnant again! Her mother, Patty, comes to her and tells her that her unborn child is half of a prophecy, called 'The Children Of Light'. Persia is the other half. Together, both girls rival the Blessed Ones in power. Piper had her and Leo's second daughter and names her Prissandra Leona Wyatt. Little Prissandra has the power of photokinesis; the ability to create and control light. Pearl also gains a new power and a best friend, who could possibly become even more.

_The Children Of Light_ – Summary: This takes place about a year after it's prequel. Persia is still trying to find her place in the family, but Pam is not helping matters. She is so jealous of Persia and doesn't understand the situation, believing that Persia is just there to steal her parents. Prue and Pandora are suffering without Andy, so Pandora uses the gift that she got on the day of her Wiccaning, to wish for her father. This surprises The Elders and they aren't sure how to handle such a thing, because it has never happened before. Although it is technically against the rules, Pandora was never told this, so they allow Andy to stay. But that's it; if he dies again, he stays dead. The Elders give the sisters a one time spell to change the memories of everyone in the world, except those who know their secret. Cole's mother, Evilyn, eventually comes into the picture. She kidnaps Pam and attempts to bring out her demon half, by having her kill an innocent witch. The Charmed Ones interfere and Pam is saved. However she's still been infected with the power of The Ingress, a sister power to The Nexus, which Evilyn has under the control of evil. But when Adam, an old lover of Evilyn's, kills her, Pam gains a new power and helps her father vanquish Adam. Phoebe, Cole, Persia, and Pam move into the home that Cole inherits from his mother's death; The Villa, complete with The Ingress, which is now in the hands of good. Prue, Andy, and Pandora travel to a surprise Family Reunion for Andy's family. Prue turns into a Werewolf and attacks Andy's mother, Vivienne. The remaining sisters come to the rescue, vanquishing the werewolf that converted Prue, and having Leo dust the family. Sour feelings between Prue and Vivienne, however, remain. In the end, the wedding of a lifetime is about to take place. Unfortunately, an old foe returns, and is after Prue's soul. A backfired spell turns Prue and Andy into elves, protecting them from The Sorceress Of Souls. Good undoubtedly prevails, Prue and Andy are married by Penny, and Brandon works up the courage to give Pearl a kiss on the cheek.

_Every Halliwell Counts_ – Summary: The Halliwell clan is attacked by mutant demons, leading Persia to summon friends from an alternate reality who have experience in such matters. A strong bond between Pamela Walker, Alternate Prue Halliwell's daughter, and Persia grows so much that Persia enchants matching lockets that allow the pair to contact each other from their own worlds (a cosmic telephone). Then a certain Egyptian Cat Goddess from Paige's past shows up to ask for her help, during the same time Darryl and Andy have been caught up in a series of cat burglaries throughout the city. Pearl and Brandon take on the powers of the legendary lovers Isis and Osiris in order to take on Ra, a corrupt Sun God who is bent on taking over both the mortal and magical worlds. During their adventure, Pearl discovers the lost Tomb of Cleopatra and releases her entrapped soul from the guardianship of a very powerful ancient ritual item and she travels to the afterlife with her son and Marc Antony. Life turns darker when Persia heads to her Prom with a date that seems grand, but turns out be on over sexed jock who tries to drug and assault the young witch. Fortunately a boy from the Halliwells' past returns, a certain Firestarter, and saves Persia from what could've been one of the most traumatic experiences in her life. A friendship between the pair grows. Phiona also meets a new friend, the mortal cousin by marriage of her older cousin's arch Magic School rival, and a mutual bond forms. But when Phoebe has a premonition of a young girl getting attacked by demons, things turn ugly when Piper can't control her powers because of her latest ability to make things go in slow motion and Tyler wants his powers unbound. Unfortunately that is overshadowed by the fact that Prue accidentally becomes pregnant with the Prophet Guardian, which should've been born to Phoebe's innocent. With no way to reverse it, the magical world must adjust to the shift in destiny. However a demon with characteristics of demons of the past reveals herself and takes Prue with her while leaving Andy, Piper, Paige, and Pandora for dead.

_Change Happens_ – Summary: Prue is taken captive by The Source and kept in preservative water column while The Source awaits the birth of Prue's undestined child, The Akashic Heiress. However, when the sisters find out where she is and make a plan to save her, Andy has already helped Pandora write and cast a hex on The Source, so that if he touches Prue, he'll be vanquished. In a twist of fate, Paige takes on the identity of Huldra, The Source's assassin, and is impregnated with Prue and Andy's unborn child. When Prue finally gets back to the Manor, she saves Andy from The Source, but Pandora's hex backfires when The Source comes into physical contact with Prue. It vanquishes him, but also vanquishes Prue, as the hex has made them magically connected. The family mourns the loss of the oldest Halliwell, and then is attacked by an ancient demon named Ohanzee. Paige makes a deal with Death, in order to vanquish the demon herself. However, this results in her husband's death. But Akasha, the Goddess who Prue's unborn child will one day serve, forces the Angel of Destiny to reverse Glenn's death. At about the same time, a demon named Scorpia resurrects The Source. And because of his magical link to Prue, brings her back as well. The Angel of Destiny is forced to right the wrongs of Pandora's hex, allowing Prue to give birth to her own daughter and the Halliwells to finally purge the world of The Source. Persia's trial comes and Dane Burnham is found guilty of attempted rape, Tyler makes amends with Persia, and Scorpia gives birth to The Source's son and heir to the Underworld throne.

Main Characters & Their Powers:

Prudence (Prue) Janice Halliwell-Trudeau – Telekinesis, Astral Projection, Phasing

Piper Halliwell-Wyatt – Temporal Stasis (Freezing), Molecular Acceleration (Exploding), Molecular Deceleration (Slow Motion)

Phoebe Halliwell-Turner – Premonitions, Levitation, Empathy

Paige Matthews-Belland – Orbing, Telekinetic Orbing, Partial Healing, Sensing Evil, Sensing, Shapeshifting, Transmorphation

Andrew (Andy) Trudeau – Mortal

Leo Wyatt – Orbing, Healing, Sensing, Harmless Light Balls, Levi-orbing, Shapeshifting, Omnilingualism

Coleridge (Cole) Turner – Shimmering, Energy Balls

Glenn Belland – Mortal

Persia Patty Halliwell – Electrokinesis

Pearlinda (Pearl) Melody Belland – Exploding Light Balls, Healing

Phiona (Phi) Melinda Wyatt – Orb-telekinesis

Pamela (Pam) Victoria Turner – Shimmering, Power Absorption

Pandora Angel Trudeau – Telepathy

Prissandra (Prissy) Leona Wyatt – Photokinesis

Tyler Michaels – Pyrokinesis

Brandon Jonathon Fargo – Teleportation

Chase Hockley – Mortal

_**The Akashic Heiress**_

**_Chapter 1: The Past And The Furious_**

"Come on Paige, where are you?" Tyler placed his index fingers to his temples and began to scrunch his eyes. At the current moment, the nineteen-year-old Firestarter was huddling behind a dingy, fowl smelling green sanitation bin. He'd been like this for the past ten minutes, as he attempted to fend off a horde of Vulture Demons.

Suddenly he felt a sharp talon graze his shoulder, ripping open his red cotton shirt. As he looked down, fresh blood began to dribble from the wound and soak into his clothing, causing a blackish effect. He grimaced. Looking up, he could see another Vulture Demon zeroing in on him and he clasped his eyelids shut, focusing his pyrokinetic ability on the enemy. Moments passed, and then he heard a withering cry, before he felt a wave of heat pass over head. Slowly opening his eyes, the blonde eyed the burning body of a Vulture Demon less than a foot away. "Paige!"

A small blue glow began to emanate in the middle of the alley. Shimmering blue orbs began to fly and whirl around, culminating into the form of a lengthy woman with long, dark brown hair that was almost a black color. The Charmed One was clad in cream tinted Ralph Lauren cropped jeans, a red lace-trimmed floral spaghetti strap tunic, and a pair of lime green Charles David heels. Her dark hair was pulled back in a floppy, one-sided ponytail and a silver pentacle charm swung against its chain and away from her neck, as she whirled around to face the horde of demons.

The brunette's arm lurched forward, her hand becoming claw-like as she parted her dark red lips. "Dumspter!"

"Oh, Paige, no!" Tyler practically choked, cringing as the vomit smelling bin disappeared in orbs.

The car-sized orb cloud coursed across the alley, flying towards the Vulture Demon pack, before the orbs cleared and the demons scattered like bowling pins after a strike.

The witchlighter spun on her lime green heel, hurrying over to Tyler and grabbing him by the shoulders, to which he winced again. "Tyler-" Suddenly she realized the gooey feeling of warm blood against her porcelain fingers and retracted her right hand. "Oh, honey, we have to get you out of here." Sensing another impending attack, she ducked and the two of them were enveloped in a swirling blue cloud, just as the claws of a Vulture Demon swept through her orbs.

----

"Leo!" Paige yelled, materializing in the sunroom of the Manor. "Leo, I need your help! Tyler's hurt!"

No sooner had she called, did the blonde whitelighter orb in. "What happened?" He asked, kneeling down to place his healing hands over The Firestarter's wounds.

"Vulture Demons," Paige explained hurriedly.

"And it wouldn't of happened if you'd come when I called ten minutes earlier," the teenager spat.

Paige's pale hands slid to her trim waist. "Well excuse me for saving the world from evil!"

"I'm your charge," Tyler hissed. "You're supposed to be saving me too!"

"You have powers," the brunette pointed out. "The elementary school I was defending, was full of children who did not."

Tyler shifted his eyes to the floor, avoiding the witch's gaze. He knew she was right and he knew it must be pretty hard to try and juggle being both a Charmed One and a whitelighter. _But_, he reasoned, _she did choose the job and now she has to live with it. I refuse to be a second class priority, just because she messed up._

Leo stood up, lending a hand to help the boy to his feet. "All better. How do you feel?"

"Exhausted," Tyler moaned.

"Don't we all."

Tyler looked up at Paige suspiciously. "Why can't you just heal me?"

The brunette crossed her arms. "I don't have that power...at least not fully developed."

"Why can't The Elders give it to you? I mean, you are a whitelighter. Don't they do that when they endow mortals with whitelighter powers?"

"Yes," Leo intervened. "But there are rules. They can't make an already magical being a whitelighter. For example, they couldn't take a witch and make her a whitelighter after her death. The same goes for Paige. Even though she's half whitelighter, they can't give her full whitelighter abilities."

"But that's stupid," Tyler snorted. "What if one of her charges needs heeling and she can't get them to you fast enough?" He threw his arms into the air as he passed by Leo. "Especially since all of her charges, except Max, are children! They're even more susceptible to being injured!"

"Yeah, but what I lack in healing I make up for in teleorbing. It's a sad trade off, but I think I'd choose being a Charmed One over healing any day of the week."

Tyler crossed his arms and eyed the witch suspiciously. "The day you lose someone you care about because you couldn't heal, maybe you'll change your tune."

At that point, Leo stepped between the warring parties and waved his hands to clear the air. "Come on now. This is stupid. All is taken care of. Tyler, you're fine. Paige, you've got other duties that need to be taken care of."

"Oh really?" The witch crossed her arms and stared accusingly. "Like what?"

"Like," the whitelighter locked eyes with his charge. "The Elders. They've been calling you."

"Oh!" Paige snapped her fingers in annoyance. "I knew I was forgetting something. I was going to get back to them after I took care of him," she indicated Tyler. "What do they want?"

The whitelighter gave an impish grin in response. "I don't know for sure, but I have an idea." He slipped his fingers around Paige's wrist and glanced back at Tyler. "We've got to go. But I believe Piper's upstairs. You can go up there and tell her I asked if she'd take you home. Oh, and tell her that unless it's an emergency, don't call Paige or I."

"Wh-"

"Thank you!" Leo cut in, orbing out with Paige before the teen could get another word in.

----

"What exactly are we doing?" Paige asked, jerking her arm away from her brother-in-law as soon as her heels had touched solid ground. "And why can't anyone contact us?"

"It's a surprise," the blonde grinned. "Come on, trust me."

Paige twitched uncomfortably, small goose pimples forming on her skin as the cool white haze swirled around them. "Okay, but only because it's you."

"You'll like this, I promise." He motioned for the Charmed One to follow. "You're always itching for knowledge, so this is perfect for you."

"What in the world are you talking about?"

Leo rolled his pastel eyes and trotted through the milky haze, sending spiraling swirls of mist to either side of him, making somewhat of a path for the female behind him.

"Leo, I really don't know about this-"

"We're here!" Leo stopped abruptly, catching Paige as she ran into him. He stepped back, just gazing up at the arching golden doors that appeared to go on forever.

"What the..."

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" He placed his hand onto the intricate carvings of the door and traced them. Some were familiar, like the pentagrams and Triquetras, and some were foreign symbols of old carved from ancient Egypt, Greece, Rome, the Aztecs, the Mayans. Druid carvings, Celtic symbols, faces of Buddha, the yin-yang, crosses, Chinese zodiac symbols, and even earlier symbols that Leo didn't recognize.

The whitelighter's hand trailed up the carvings, and curved around the heavy golden ring that was lodged in the right door's center. Stemming near the top, just to the right, an arrow ejected from the ring. It was the symbol of masculinity. "Paige," he motioned, "come take the other knocker."

"What?" She slid over to her guide and examined the vast doors for herself. For a few moments, all she could do was stare in awe. Then her brown irises landed on the golden ring in the center of the left door. It was also thick and golden, but this one had cross jutting out the bottom center of it, the symbol of femininity. She looked towards her brother-in-law, at a loss.

"It's okay. Just pick it up and knock," he said, retracting his hand from the masculine knocker.

Paige reached up a pale hand, wrapping it tightly around the cross and lifting it a few inches above the door. It was heavy and she couldn't believe she'd pulled it that far. Then, with a mighty push, she banged it back against the door. "What's this gonna do?"

"Just wait..."

A moment later, the room was filled with a thunderous rumble and the golden doors began to scrape across the floor, opening just wide enough for Paige and Leo to slide in, single file. Following Leo's nod, Paige sucked in a breath and etched her way into the room, with her brother-in-law following suit. She jumped back, as the door sealed shut behind Leo. "What now?"

"Patience is a virtue, Paige."

"Yes," she grumbled. "One that I don't have."

Leo shook his head as he gazed around the seemingly desolate room. "We've got to wait for Hanna."

"Who's this Hanna?"

"I'm the Goddess of Life."

Paige whirled around, almost stumbling over herself, as she came face to face with one of the most radiant beings she'd ever seen.

The Goddess' skin was a deep mahogany, which was a deep contrast to the tumbling waves of opalescent hair that swished from her six foot frame, all the way to the floor, draping the ground like the train of Princess Diana's wedding dress. Her eyes sparkled with an emerald luster and her lips were a pair of perfectly crafted pink rosebuds. Even her clothing, white velvet robes with the same golden symbolism from the door woven into the fabric, were swaying in their own mystic breeze.

"W-who are you?" Paige stuttered.

Hanna extended her dark hand. "A Charmed whitelighter," she grinned. "I'm pleased to meet you."

"Uh-" Paige stumbled for the words as she hesitantly shook Hanna's extended hand. "Nice to meet you too. But I'm still so lost-"

"You are a whitelighter, are you not?" Although a question, the Goddess already knew the answer. She waited, however, for Paige to nod before continuing. "And as a whitelighter, you have the privilege to see all of your past lives."

"What?"

A small smile pierced Hanna's lips. "And being the Goddess of Life, it's my appointed duty to open a viewing portal for you and your guide." She turned to Leo, beaming. "Mr. Wyatt, it's a pleasure to see you again."

"As is you," Leo returned, bowing his head respectively towards Hanna.

"But what if-"

"You family will be taken care of," Hanna promised. Seeing the witch's worried look, she also added, "And your charges. We've placed them in the temporary care of two, very trustworthy whitelighters."

"Who?"

"You haven't met them." Hanna tucked a strand of pale hair behind her ear. "But if you wish, I can probably pull a few," she winked at Leo, "wings when you get back."

Leo snickered quietly. As a whitelighter, a joke circulated Up There about 'pulling wings' instead of 'pulling strings.'

Hanna clasped her dark hands together and beckoned for Paige and Leo to stand next to her. "Actually," she instructed, grabbing Paige by the wrist and switching her with Leo, "you need to be on this side."

"What? Why?"

"Because there's a duality here," the Goddess explained. "The left is associated with the feminine, while the right, masculine."

The Charmed One's eyes rolled. "Did males come up with that?"

The Goddess frowned. "I'm not a fan of patriarchy myself, Ms. Matthews. But right now, we don't have time to get into the specifics." She clicked her fingers and a silver folder appeared within her left hand. Flipping it open with her right, she took a quick peek through the extensive sheets and then the folder vanished as quickly as it had appeared. "You've had three lives before this one."

"I have? But-but-but I thought I only had one? The Evil Enchantress-"

"Was your second life." Hanna frowned at Paige's interruption. "Please, Ms. Matthews. We've got work to do. Now, before I send you off, let me warn you that all you can do is watch. The events of the past cannot be changed, even if you try. You and Leo will be as ghosts, watching a three-dimensional movie."

"So I won't be stuck in my old body, like when I went to the past to see how I survived my parents car crash?"

"No."

"You also won't have your powers."

"What? Why?"

"Because you won't need them. Once you've seen what needs to be seen, you will be instantaneously transported to the next part of your journey." The Goddess cleared her throat. "Are you ready?"

Paige looked from Leo to Hanna, and back again. Then, with an almost hesitant nod, she said she was.

Hanna held out her hands and a spray of rainbow spheres began to dance from them. As the spheres grew, the symbols on her gown began to glow an almost blinding gold. Any brighter, and they'd turn white. Her green eyes began to swirl as the multi-colored lights twisted and turned, forming into a pulsating portal of vibrating rainbows. The Goddess pulled back her hands and stepped past Leo and Paige. "Have a good journey, Charmed One."

"Uhm, Leo?"

Leo ventured near the colorful oval and held out his hand in a gentlemanly fashion. "Paige?"

Paige dipped her hand, sliding it into Leo's. "You'll be with me the whole time?"

"I'll never leave your side."

"Okay." Paige gulped, nearing the portal with unsure thoughts. As she lifted her long leg, Hanna's voice stopped her.

"Oh, and Paige?"

The whitewitch turned around. "Y-yes?"

Hanna extended her arm, holding out a brown paper bag.

"What's this?" Paige asked, accepting the bag warily.

"A bag." Hanna's eyes seemed to twinkle. "Even the most powerful beings don't always have strong enough stomachs for time travel."

"But I've-"

"Paige?"

Paige turned her attention to her mentor, her face questioning.

"Just take it."

The brunette bit down on her lip, tucking the bag under her arm. Her stomach was already flip flopping as she turned to the portal. "Leo?"

"I'm right behind you."

"Okay." The witchlighter sucked in a deep breath, closed her eyes, and jumped in with Leo not far behind.

As the portal closed, Hanna stood smiling. She knew what kind of adventure awaited the youngest Charmed sister. "Good luck, Paige." And with that, she dissolved into the swirling mist.

_**TO BE CONTINUED...**_


	2. In The Path Of Mortal Danger

A/N: Just FYI, this chapter is mainly filler with the beginnings of a secondary plot mixed in (and some openings to ideas I will probably pursue later). The real fun begins in chapter three, which I am UBER proud of! And I forgot to say this at the beginning of the last chapter, but if anyone who reads this fic also reads Ross' ABOAC (_A Blessing Or A Curse?_) series, it's by sheer coincidence that Paige (in my story) and Piper (in his story) are both seeing their past lives. Just FYI, we each conceived these ideas separately, and we just happen to be posting them around the same time. (If you'd like to ask that, I'm sure he can verify it, right Ross?) I got some questions over the last chapter and here's the delio. Yes, Phae IS Akasha's heiress and guardian of the Akashic Records. (But that doesn't make her a Goddess, nor does it make her immortal.) Dark Zehirak brought up some good points, if anyone has read that review. I will choose not to comment on some of those points though, as I'm afraid I will end up giving too much away involving certain plot ideas. (I will say this, though, you will probably see more OOC-type things. And as far as Paige, yes, she still only has Tyler and Max as her charges.) And currently in the story it's June of 2013. So the characters' ages are as follows…

Prue – 41

Piper – 39

Phoebe – 36

Paige – 35

Andy – 41 (or 42, depending on his exact DOB)

Leo – 89 (but he only looks between 30 and 40)

Cole – 127 (or 128, depending on his exact DOB, but he only looks between 30 and 40)

Glenn – 35 (or 36, depending on his exact DOB)

Persia – 17

Pearl – 11

Phiona – 10 (or 11, depending on her exact DOB)

Pam – 8

Pandora – 6

Prissandra – 3

Phae – almost 1

Tyler - 19

Brandon – 11 (or 12, depending on his exact DOB)

Chase – 10 (or 11, depending on his exact DOB)

_**The Akashic Heiress**_

**_Chapter 2: In The Path Of Mortal Danger_**

"Why would Leo not want me to call them?" Piper pondered, as she shifted her van into reverse and backed out of the Manor's driveway. Twisting her head to Tyler, she repeated her question, all the while keeping one eye on the rearview mirror.

The Firestarter shrugged his shoulders. Ever since he'd traveled upstairs to find Piper and ask about her taking him home, all he'd gotten was her neurotic questions. Silently, he wondered if the Charmed One did this 24/7, and if so, he felt bad for the Manor's occupants.

Shifting back to drive, Piper elicited a loud grumble of frustration. "Can you believe the nerve? Really! What's supposed to happen if a demon attacks and we need the power of four to vanquish it? Hmm? Did anyone ever think of that?"

A few options trailed through Tyler's head, the crystal cage being one of them, but he found it wiser to keep his mouth shut. Something about interrupting the witch, one who could send him to oblivion with a mere thought, just didn't seem quite prudent.

----

Hearing a whistle of approval as she bent over at the water fountain, Phoebe could only groan. Wiping her mouth with the sleeve of her denim blazer, the witch spun around to eye the new Gossip Columnist. "Can I help you?" She asked, her voice dripping with disdain.

"Well what do we have here?" The man was young, probably early twenties, Phoebe ventured. Well built, with meaty arms and piercing emerald green eyes. With his short, ebony ruffles, he was the epitome of tall, dark, and handsome. It was physically clear that he knew this as well, because he wore tight black jeans and a cotton white muscle shirt to show off his darkly tanned features. "Howard Stow," he grinned, displaying a perfect set of pearly whites. "And you are?" He offered a strong hand.

Phoebe fiddled with the edge of her ivory lace camisole for a moment, trying to pick her words carefully. Finally, she extended a delicate hand as if to shake his, before sliding it past and sticking it towards Howard's face. "Married," she announced flatly. With that, the witch spun on heel, and walked away.

Watching her delicate hips sway under the form fitting beaded bohemian skirt, an orange cream that gradually faded into a deep tangerine, he gave a small snicker of pleasure. He'd chosen his mark and now he wouldn't give her up so easily. After all, Howard Stow always loved a challenge.

----

"Out of fifty shots not one of them was good enough! 'I am so sorry Ms. Halliwell, but these just are not capturing the essence that I want.' Agh! I spent two entire days getting these perfect!" Prue fumed, tossing a package into her passenger seat, only to have its contents slide out and cover the seat and floor. She threw her arms into the air, exasperated. "Great! Just, friggin' great!"

The eldest Charmed One fished around her white handbag before finding her car key and sliding it into the ignition, continuing to rave about her shots as she slammed the sole of her white, chunky wedge heel to the gas pedal. Reversing her newly washed vehicle, she had forgotten to do two important things; look and strap on her seatbelt. Only when the sound of screaming breaks and splintering glass pierced her ears did she realize her error. By that time, however, her body was already on a non-stop course with the steering wheel.

"Oh my god!" The driver of the second vehicle slid from his car and jobbed over to the driver's seat of the smoking black car. "Please be okay," he whispered, touching the shoulder of the victim. When he didn't receive a response, he gently pushed back the unconscious witch. The man elicited a gasp when he saw the bloody gash on the forehead of a very familiar person. "Prue!"

----

"Mom I'm ho-" Tyler gasped at the disarray of his home. He eyed the overturned chairs, broken mirrors, and then he saw the dark scorch marks on the walls. He screamed and his hand slid from the gold door knob.

Piper, who'd just been backing out of the driveway when she heard his frantic cry, quickly stomped on the break. She shifted her car back into drive and moved up the driveway, parking it and hopping out. "Tyler! What's wrong?" She asked, jogging up behind him.

The Firestarter said nothing as he tossed open the door to reveal the demonic devastation.

"Hurry, we've got to find your parents!" The brunette grabbed the teen by the wrist and hauled him inside, slamming the door behind them. "Hello? Mr. and Mrs. Michaels?" Quietly, she led the boy up the stairs, keeping one defensive hand in front of her at all times. "Hello?"

"M-mom?" Tyler stuttered. "Dad?" His calls were met with deathly silence. "Maybe we should split up?"

Piper's brown hair fluttered around her head as she shook it. "No, that's always a bad idea." She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, moving into the closest room and stared at the mess. Unfortunately she saw no sign of Tyler's adoptive parents. "Next one," she instructed. The Charmed One shooed the boy into the next room, apparently his own. It too was a wreck, but there were no signs of Mr. or Mrs. Michaels.

"I don't think they're here," the teen whispered. His voice cracked. "Do you think-"

Piper placed her hand over Tyler's mouth. "No. And don't you think like that," she warned, pulling him to the last room in the hallway. The door was closed and Piper wasn't about to take any chances. "Stand back."

"What're you going to do?"

"Just stand back."

Obediently, Tyler stepped a few feet away from the Charmed One.

Piper raised her hands and a loud shattering noise pierced their ears, as the wooden door in front of them exploded into wooden shards. "Tyler?"

"Yeah?"

"Stay here," she whispered, slipping into the room with her hands still raised. Looking around, it appeared as though it was the only room in the house that was not amiss. Then her blood turned cold when she saw it. Looking up at the ceiling, sprawled in cold blood, was a message.

"'The Firestarter for the mortals,'" Tyler choked.

"Tyler!" Piper cried, pushing the boy from the room. "I told you to stay in the hallway!"

"I have a right to know!" Tyler hissed. His eyes were glassy now, and a small tear was trickling down his enflamed cheek.

"We're going to get them back, Tyler."

"What if we don't get them back in time?"

"We will!" Piper grabbed his wrist and pulled him back down the hallway. At the same time she slipped her phone from her pocket and pressed Phoebe's speed dial.

"What're you doing?"

"Calling my sisters."

----

The robotic voices of Piper, Paige, and Prue pierced the silence of the Manor as the answering machine picked up on the fifth ring. "We're not here right now, but you know the drill!"

"Mrs. Prudence Trudeau is currently being treated at Bay General Hospital for a mild concussion. Please call the hospital back at your earliest convenience for more information. Thank you."

----

"Piper? Whoa, whoa. Slow down, honey. Tyler's what? Oh my god! Is he okay? Okay, I'll be there as fast as I can. I'll just tell Elise that I'll be working the rest of the day from home. Okay. Stay safe and keep trying Prue's cell. Bye." Phoebe flipped her cell phone closed and slipped it into her orange draw string purse. She maneuvered her mouse across the screen of her computer, saving and closing all of her open programs, before removing her green flash drive.

"Phoebe?"

The Charmed One glanced up to see Rachel, her assistant, standing in the doorway. "Yes?"

"Elise wants to see you."

"Oh, actually..." Phoebe slung her laptop bag over her shoulder and grabbed a cold cup of Starbucks coffee from her desk. "Tell Elise that I'll be working the rest of the day from home."

"But she says it's important. She wants you there right away."

The psychic looked at a loss. "It's an emergency, Rachel."

Rachel frowned, running a hand through her hair. "Uhm..."

"Please? Can you tell her that I've already left? It's really important."

Rachel sighed. "I guess."

"Thank you so much! You have no idea how much this means," the Charmed One gushed. "A close friend of mine is in some trouble. Thank you. I owe you!" Flashing her assistant a relieved smile, she slipped out the door and disappeared in the sea of office bodies.

Rachel sighed and wondered back to Elise's office, knocking on the door before walking back inside. "Uhm," she declared nervously. "Phoebe's already left for the day. She left a note saying that she'll be working the rest of the day from home."

----

"Welcome to Wendy's, may I take your order?" Persia stood boredly at the register of the drive through window, talking into her headset. With a few swift keystrokes, she entered the order. "Your total will be fifteen dollars and twenty-three cents, at the second window. Thank you." She glanced up at the drive through screen, noting that no more cars were there.

"Persia? Persia?" Tapping her shoulder, the day manager got the young witch's attention.

Swirling around and removing the headphones, Persia's face blushed. "Sorry. What did you want, Stevie?"

"Can you clean up the corner table?" He motioned to the headset.

"I can take care of this."

"Oh," Persia absently handed the headset to her boss. "Sure." She grabbed an apron, gloves, a rag, and a bottle of disinfectant as she slipped from behind the corner. She sighed, heading straight for the back of the restaurant to the dirty table. "Why do people have to be such pigs?" She wondered, wiping the trash onto one of the brown trays and setting it aside on an empty seat. The witch proceeded to spray a fine pink mist from her bottle of disinfectant, before scrubbing the table top with her rag.

"And what do we have here?"

The electrokinetic's body went taunt, and she remained scrubbing the table.

"Is this Persia Halliwell?" The voice behind Persia snickered. "Cleaning tables at Wendy's?" Again, bouts of laughter. "How much lower can you get?"

"Why hello, Britain," Persia replied tightly, as the girl purposely stepped into her line of vision. "Is there something I can do for you?"

Britain shook her dark blonde hair, a mischievous smile playing on her red lips. She leaned against the table, pressing her palms to either side of it. "So, how's it going?"

"Fine," Persia hissed. She averted her attention.

"Oh, look," Britain announced suddenly. She brought her hand down sharply against the corner of the table and a shot of bright yellow coursed through the air, smacking Persia straight on the face. The blonde pointed to Persia's mustard dripping face and lifted her hand from the mustard package on the edge of the table. "You missed a spot." Cackling, she turned on her heel and tromped off with her groupies.

Persia clenched her fists, watching as they turned white. Her face was beat red and her eyes were glassy, threatening to spill at any moment. Quickly, quietly, she wiped the smeared mustard from her cheek and grabbed the package, wiping away a yellow smear from the table as well. Then grabbing the brown tray, she stumbled back towards the kitchen.

----

Piper burst through the Manor door, with Tyler at her heels. "Prue? Phoebe?" Taking a long shot, she also ventured to call her youngest sister and husband. As she'd expected, there was no response and the witch silently cursed to herself. She flung her brown suede jacket onto the couch, passing the cordless phone without noticing the flashing red answering machine light. "Phoebe should be here soon," she informed the teen. "Meanwhile, we'll look through the Book for anything."

Wiping the tears from his eyes, Tyler gave a silent nod and trotted up the stairs after the Charmed One. _I hope we're not too late._ His lips were trembling as he reached the top step, rounded the corner, and followed Piper down the hallway.

----

Phoebe stared down at her blaring cell phone, cursing the fact that she was on the highway and had forgotten to turn it off. Without even having to look at the Caller ID, she knew it was Elise. Whatever it was that her boss had wanted to talk to her about must have been important, because since she'd left, she'd gotten fifteen calls and counting. Turning the corner, her eyes widened at the flashing blue and white lights. Her wheels burned to a stop behind a long line of halted traffic. "Shit!"

----

Prue could feel her head pounding. She tried to move and her body revolted with pain. She elicited a low groan, placing her hand to her throbbing forehead and feeling a large bump, which felt covered in something soft and textured. _What's going on?_ She squinted, and her blue eyes were met with slits of bright fluorescent light. _Where am I?_ She moaned, opening her eyes a little more.

"Prue?"

The Charmed One's body went rigid. _Did I just hear that right?_ Opening her eyes all the way now, she stared aimlessly. Everything was blurry, a fuzzy outline with blotting colors.

"Prue? Are you awake?"

Another moan passed her lips and things began to get a sharper outline. She couldn't believe who she was hearing. _This has to be a hallucination!_ Then a familiar outline popped into her line of vision. She blinked several times, but the shadow of the man didn't go away. "J-Jack?" She whispered hoarsely. "Jack Sheridan?"

_**TO BE CONTINUED...**_


	3. I'm Proud To Be An Amerwiccan

A/N: I'm particularly proud of this chapter. I mean, I LOVED writing it and I just love everything about it. It was very vivid in my head, and I really hope you all like it too. (And if you're Paige fans, I think you'll be particularly pleased.) As for Ed's question, I never said that Paige couldn't get the ability to orb, it just can't be given to her by The Elders. If she were to develop it naturally, that would be another thing. The way I see it, their powers are just like genetics. So because Sam had all the whitelighter powers when Paige was conceived, she has all of those powers in her genetic makeup. And when she conceived Pearl, then Pearl also had those powers in her genetic makeup. It just happened that Paige didn't get the power to heal, where Pearl did. So just like genetics, if your mom say has blue eyes and your dad green, but you end up with brown eyes like your paternal grandmother, it was because your dad was a carrier of the gene that produces brown eyes, but he just didn't have them himself. Does that make sense? (P.S. Peanut and Ross, your reviews ARE on the way!)

_**The Akashic Heiress**_

**_Chapter 3: I'm Proud To Be An Amerwiccan_**

----August 22, 1624----

Leo wrapped his arms around his charge, stabilizing Paige as she wobbled from the portal. "Whoa there, Missy Paige. Just take deep breaths. I know, it's a shock to your system at first." He flashed her his signature grin. "Which is why they send a guide with you, to take these things."

Paige closed her eyes, leaning into Leo's chest as she stumbled on her feet. "Thanks, Leo."

"It's what I'm here for." Leo stood silent for a moment, before whispering, "Are you okay now?"

Paige opened her eyes and after a moment or so, the room stopped spinning. She felt Leo's arms slide away and she teetered for a minute, before regaining her composure. "Man," she grumbled, "that's worse than first time orbing!"

"You'll get used to it."

Paige frowned, pulling the brown bag from under her arm and opening it. "And if I don't, this stays open for future puckage." She looked around and frowned. "Where are we, anyway?"

The pair stood in what appeared to be a very small bedroom with a single bed and one window, where the woolen shades were drawn. The floor wooden and laden with dust and dirt. A small wooden rocking chair sat by the window and a tiny cradle lay at the foot of the plain bed. The cradle was unlike the rest of the room, however. It was a lighter shade of wood and clearly was new.

Walking over to the cradle, Paige knelt down to notice a small carving at the head of it. She poked her head closer and her eyes sprang. "Leo! Look! It's a Triquetra!"

Leo padded across the floor, kneeling down next to his sister-in-law and examining the cradle. "So it is."

Suddenly the small door burst open and a plain looking man dressed in brown cotton pants and a white woolen shirt weaved his way into the room. In his arms lay a woman, presumably his very pregnant wife.

The woman was clad in a simple white cotton nightgown, classic of the time period. Her shaky hands were wrapped protectively around her large belly and her face was red with the pain of contractions. Sweat beads were glistening from her forehead and carving paths down her cheeks, matting her orange-brown hair to her face.

"It's okay," the man soothed, his voice thick with an Old English accent. "Everything will be fine. It won't be much longer now." As he laid his wife against the bed, she let out another agonizing scream of pain.

"I'll get you a cloth," he whispered into her ear. The man gently wiped his wife's sweaty face with his sleeve and fluffed her goose down pillow, before fleeing the room to retrieve a cool cloth.

"Is that me?" Paige asked, absently. Her mind was whirling. The woman seemed familiar, yet she couldn't place her. She didn't think that it was her past life, but then again, this was supposed to be a journey with her lives.

"Just watch," Leo soothed.

Paige trodded over to the woman's bedside, staring at her with a mixture of curiosity and sympathy. She moved her head closer to the woman, almost close enough to feel her breath, if the scene wasn't like a movie.

The woman yelped once more and her hands dug painfully into the covers of the bed, scrunching the brown fabric against her palms. Then her eyes opened.

Paige gasped. "Mom!" She turned to Leo, her mouth hanging in an o shape. "Leo! Leo!" Her voice was frantic confusion. "That's my adoptive mother!"

Leo let a sly grin play on his angelic features. "Actually," he corrected, "that's your adoptive mother's past life."

"Mortals have past lives too?"

Leo rolled his eyes. "Yes." The whitelighter chuckled.

The air across the room began to shimmer, signally the entrance of a big bad. Then the full demonic being materialized. His face looked like a slice of overly oily pepperoni pizza and his skin was the color of rotten orange juice. Each one of the dots on his face sprang open at the same time, to reveal thousands of little black eyeballs. The demon extended a deformed claw as he stalked towards the unwitting mother-to-be.

"Caroline, I-" The husband entered the room, just in time to see a spray of a yellow acid-like substance heading towards his wife. "No!" The man's hands jutted outwards, extending in the same claw-like fashion that Paige often did, and then twisted clockwise. There was a hissing sound, as a blue force shield erected itself over the pregnant woman.

The woman let out a terrified howl as the yellow acid burned fruitlessly against her husband's protective power. Soon the shield wavered and then faded. Her eyes narrowed and she placed her hand to her mouth, blowing against it with all her strength. A sub zero spray of ice shot from her lips and washed across her hand, attacking the deformed creature.

The demon howled in agony as his entire body frosted over in sub zero ice and then he exploded, leaving not even ice shards behind.

Paige was star struck, as the man walked towards Caroline. She knew this man too. He'd been the only father she'd ever known, growing up. "Dad."

"Milton," Caroline whispered hoarsely. She reached up weakly, wrapping her arms around the neck of her lover as he placed a cool gray cloth against her sweaty forehead.

"Don't talk," he commanded. Milton began to gently massage her shoulders. "I have to go get the water," he added gravely. Kissing her forehead, he reactivated his force field around Caroline and disappeared from the room.

"Why are we watching my adoptive parents' past lives?" The Charmed One asked, turning her whitelighter.

"It's crucial to yours."

"How so?"

Hurrying in before Leo could answer, Milton knelt at the edge of the bed and deactivated his power. He placed a stone bowl of cool water atop a large brown chest, one that looked oddly familiar to Paige, and moved his wife's nightgown away from her legs. "It won't be much longer now, Caroline. I think," he grabbed a damp towel from the water bowl, "that you should start pushing."

After a few labored breaths, Caroline emitted an ear shattering scream and began the tiring process of bringing forth the life in her womb. She squeezed the bed covers again, her knuckles turning white, and pushed again.

Milton rubbed his wife's left knee comfortingly. "You're doing well, Caroline." Several minutes passed, along with a series of painful cries and moans, before the male witch finally announced that he could see a head. His voice seemed higher, more excited at he waited for his child to arrive. "Again, Caroline. She's almost here!"

Caroline murmured something inaudible and gave a labored cry, before tightening her muscles again.

"I see her shoulders!" Milton cried, as he placed a dry towel under the head of his daughter. "Again!" This time he could see that her arms were now free of Caroline's body and he urged his wife on. As he did so, he gently wiped the blood from his child's pink face. After what seemed like an eternity, the child finally landed in the safety of her father's hands. After which, Milton used a sterile blade to sever the umbilical cord.

"Let me see her," Caroline pleaded breathlessly.

Milton took a cool cloth and wiped the birthing blood from the child's face, before situating her in a clean blanket that he'd grabbed from the bed of the cradle. He walked over to his wife and sat tentatively at the edge of the bed, before handing the newborn to her mother. "She's beautiful."

"She's amazing," Caroline breathed. She drew her index finger over the child's smooth, porcelain face. "Hello, baby. Do you know who I am?"

As if to answer, the small child opened her tiny eyes, revealing a set of gorgeous brown irises.

Paige, who was now hovering over the bed, faced Leo. "Is that..."

Leo gave a silent nod.

Paige returned her gaze to the infant. This infant was her past life.

"Phyre," Caroline breathed.

"Phyre Melinda Warren," Milton chimed in.

"You'll do great things, Phyre. The oracles have said that you will help to bring forth one of the most powerful lines of good magic the world has ever known." Small strands of ginger hair drifted around her face, as she leaned forward to plant a kiss on the infant's forehead.

"Phyre?" Paige scratched her head, wondering where she'd heard that name before. Then it dawned on her. When her grandchild had accidentally been summoned from the future, her name had been the same. "That means Pearl named her after," she looked back at the infant. "Me."

"No," the whitelighter corrected.

"No? But this is my past life, right?" Suddenly she staggered back. "Whoa! Wait, that means that I'm my own great, great, great, great, great-"

"Paige!"

"Huh?"

"No, Paige, that's not how it works. You didn't actually live this life."

"I don't understand."

Leo stroked his chin, trying to figure a better way to explain himself. "Okay. A past life isn't a life that you've lived before. Nobody lives two lives. It's a soul that was made from the same essence as yours."

"I'm still lost."

"Each soul is composed of an essence. An aura. The same aura that beings with auric sight sees. Past lives are made by taking a piece of that aura and making a brand new soul with it. So in essence, which by the way is where that expression comes from, you have already lived that life." He searched her eyes to see if she was understanding. "It's like when scientists clone an animal," he continued. "The same animal isn't living again, it's just that they've taken a part of that animal's DNA, and created a new being that is in essence the old one, but they are not truly the same. Do you understand?"

Paige nodded dutifully. "I think so." She looked back at the baby. "So I'm not really-"

"No."

"Phew. That was all starting to seem a little too weird, even for me!" The Charmed One chuckled lightly. "So, I have another question. Why are my adoptive parents past lives, the parents of one of my past lives?"

"Because past lives tend to travel in packs, so to speak. They're usually surrounded by the same essences throughout all of their lives. For example, your sisters used to be cousins who lived together in the Manor during the twenties."

As Paige was taking in the new information, suddenly the room began to swirl and twist, as if being sucked down the drain of a bathtub. "Leo! What's happening?"

"We're being taken to the next important part of your past life," the whitelighter answered. He dove at his charge, wrapping his arms around her as they too were sucked into the swirling void.

----

"Oooh." Paige held her stomach, moaning as she buried her head in Leo's shoulder. "This sucks."

"At least you're not as bad off as the last time." He shrugged.

"But the worst is yet to come."

"What?"

"Nevermind." The blonde turned his sister-in-law around, so she was now facing a grand ballroom.

"Whoa! This place is amazing," she gaped. Everywhere the witch-whitelighter looked, all she could see was people in gorgeous attire who were talking or dancing. "Where are we now?"

"An English ballroom."

The witch snorted. "I could gather that much."

"Just watch," Leo snapped. "It's what you're supposed to be doing."

"Okay, snappy drawers!"

"That's the best you've got?"

"Leo," she hissed, "don't make me come over there!" As she turned to scowl at the whitelighter, a young girl no older than 16-years-old passed through her as if she were a ghost. "Whoa! Hey, wait a minute, come back here!" Forgetting about her quarrel, she chased the girl across the room, stopping dead in her tracks as a familiar looking young man made a crash course with her subject.

"I'm so sorry!" The young man, again about 16-years-old, profusely apologized. His cheeks began to burn a beat red, as he held out a dutiful hand and helped the young woman to her feet.

As the ginger haired teen's eyes locked with the boy's, her cheeks flushed too. "It's okay, really," her Old English accent consoled.

"I feel terrible!" The young man ran a hand through his blonde-brown hair, not sure how to make it up to her.

"It's fine, really," the ginger haired girl persisted. She flashed a sweet smile in the boy's direction and brushed her hands across the base of her bell-like, royal purple ball gown.

"What's your name?"

"Phyre," she extended a white gloved hand. "Phyre Warren. And you?"

"Clarence Glenson." The boy slipped his hands around her delicate fingers and drew his lips to the back of her hand. "Pleased to meet you, Miss Warren."

Phyre's cheeks flushed again and she gave a girlish chuckle. "A pleasure, Mr. Glenson." She gathered the edges of her skirt, bowed her head, and gave a respectful curtsy.

As the sound of a new song from the piano began to fill the air, Clarence tipped his head. "Would you care to dance, Miss Warren?"

Curtsying again, Phyre nodded. "I'd love to," she grinned and then allowed Clarence to lead her into the center of the dance floor, where they began a series of intricate moves, that were proper to the time.

"Uh, Paige?" Leo stalked over to the brunette. "Paige?"

Lost in her thoughts, she didn't seem to hear Leo, or notice the fact that the scene was swirling again.

"Paige!"

"Wh-" Her eyes became wild as Leo took her wrists. "Did you see him, Leo? Do you know who that was?" She pointed wildly towards the fading couple on the dance floor. "Glenn! That was Glenn's past life!" Her last few words had been lost in the voice of time and space, as she and Leo were spun down the drain of another magical portal.

----March 1, 1645----

"Oh my Goddess!"

"I think this is the last stop for this life," Leo said, glancing down at his wrist watch.

"Do you see her?"

"Hmm?" Leo glanced up vaguely. "Oh, she looks familiar, doesn't she?"

"She looks exactly like me, the time that potion exploded in my face and my hair turned an orange-red color." She stroked her brown locks. "Luckily I reversed it ten minutes later, but still. That's amazing and I know that's her natural color."

"Destiny is strange that way, isn't it?"

In this scene, Paige noted, they were no longer on dry land. She could smell the fowl stench of human waste, body odor, decaying fish, and pungent sea water. She felt rather wobbly, as the hull of wooden boat rumbled beneath her feet.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah. It's just...there's a reason I don't get on boats." She glanced warily down at her brown paper bag. "So I gather that they're on a trip to America?"

The whitelighter nodded.

"I'm so glad technology has improved since then. It's a wonder people actually survived."

"A lot of them didn't," the whitelighter informed. He moved effortlessly through the hordes of people like a ghost, beckoning Paige to follow him.

She did so and stopped, a few feet from Phyre; the spitting image of herself, with ginger orange hair.

Phyre was propped against the side of the boat. She was bloated, tired, and covered in blankets. Obviously, from the ginger haired infant in her arms, she'd very recently given birth. The witch's face was paler than usual, almost with a sickly green tinge. Her eyes were bright, however, as they gazed at the babe in her arms.

Clarence strode over to his wife and knelt next to her, placing a cool cloth to her head and wiping the sweat away. "How are you doing?"

"Fine."

"And the baby?"

"Also fine." Phyre extended the silent infant to Clarence. "Would you like to hold your daughter?"

Clarence said nothing, he simply accepted the small witch into his warm arms. "So beautiful," he breathed. He opened his free hand slightly, looked around to make sure nobody was watching, and then a small golden locket appeared in his hands.

"Clarence!" Phyre hissed, barely above a whisper. "How could you? They'd kill us if they were to see you!"

"They won't see me," Clarence promised quietly. He gently secured the golden locket, the same locket that would one day imprison Matthew Tate, around the infant's neck. "Do you have a name yet?" He inquired huskily, desperately trying to change the subject.

"Yes," Phyre nodded. She stroked the child's ginger tuff. "Charlotte Caroline Warren, after your mother and mine."

"Warren?"

"Please Clarence," she pleaded. "We talked about this. It's a family name. I want to keep it as long as I can."

Clarence leaned in, kissing his wife passionately on her pale lips. "Then Warren it shall remain." He shifted the child in his arms, kissing her head as well. "Come with me to the deck."

"Clarence-"

"I'll help you," the male witch insisted. He stood up and held out an awaiting hand, reminding Paige of Phyre and Clarence's first meeting.

A weak smile played on Phyre's lips, before she accepted the hand and wobbled to her feet. Slipping her arm around her husband's neck, they hobbled towards the stairs. Once there, it took several painstaking minutes, but finally Phyre had emerged above deck.

"Clarence?"

"Right here," the male witch grinned, coming up from the deck with the child safely bundled in his arms. He slipped his hand into hers and together they made their way to the front of the ship, which was docked out at sea. In the far distance, they could see the land waiting for them. Looking down at his newborn daughter, he whispered, "Welcome to the America, Charlotte Warren."

_**TO BE CONTINUED...**_


	4. Mister Doubtfire

A/N: I know, it has been FOREVER! Please try and forgive me. I've had a lot of stuff going on lately. I really wanted this to be up by Christmas, but obviously that didn't happen. A lot of shit, excuse my French, got in the way. ::waits for the tomatoes:: (P.S. I'm gonna tell ya straight up, with the delay, this chapter isn't nearly as good as the others. The next chapter actually kicks this one's ass all over the place. Oh, and Peanut, don't think I've forgotten you. I know I still owe you reviews! I do have to get ready for work now, but I'm going to try to get down to business when I get home.)

_**The Akashic Heiress**_

**_Chapter 4: Mister Doubtfire_**

Piper ran into the kitchen as Phoebe's voice picked up on the answering machine. She grabbed the cordless phone in a rush and slammed it to her ear. "Hey, hey," she said, completely out of breath. "It's me." Her face contorted as she listened to her sister's voice on the other end of the line. "You can't be stuck in traffic," she snapped more harshly than she'd meant to. "Tyler's parents-"

Piper bit her lip in conflict. That was when she noticed that the light on the message machine was still blinking red. She pressed her index finger down and the only other message began to play.

"Mrs. Prudence Trudeau is currently being treated at Bay General Hospital for a mild concussion. Please call the hospital back at your earliest convenience for more information. Thank you."

"Oh my god!"

"What? Is it Tyler?"

"Prue!"

"Prue? What's wrong with Prue? Is she there?"

"She's in the hospital!"

"What? When?"

"I-I don't know!" Piper's hands were shaking as she fumbled with the phone. "I have to make sure she's okay." As the words left her mouth, she turned around and nearly walked right into Tyler, who was holding the Book of Shadows.

Tyler's eyes were large as he gawked at the Charmed One. "But my parents," he squeaked. "You said that…"

"Tyler," Piper murmured, conflicted between her innocents and her sister.

Unbeknownst to both Tyler and Piper, a dark being had appeared behind the young Firestarter. He was dressed in a jet black suit and his dark hair was slicked back with thick gel. He vaguely resembled someone right out of the Mafia. He was a special breed of darklighter, one that could hide from everyone except a whitelighter.

The darklighter leaned close to Tyler's ear. "She's selfish, Tyler. Just like Paige. She doesn't care about your defenseless, mortal parents. She wants check on her sister, a powerful Charmed One instead of her innocents."

Tyler began to shake his head furiously. "No!" He growled. "I'll save them with or without you! You're selfish, you don't even care about innocents anymore, just yourself!"

"Tyler, you know that's not true!" As Piper reached out to touch the boy, he slammed the Book of Shadows onto the ground. She jumped as he turned and began to run towards the front doors. "Tyler!" But all she was greeted with was a slam, and then silence.

----

"Jeff."

Prue blinked. She wondered if she'd heard the man right. "Jeff?"

"Jack's twin brother," he flashed a grin. "Remember? We were checking out the merchandise-"

"How could I forget," Prue groaned playfully. She lightly touched the nasty bruise, which was now covered with white gauze, on her head. "How uh…how is Jack?"

"He's good." Jeff nodded enthusiastically. "He got a promotion, actually. He's in Japan right now."

"Japan?" Prue's eyes sparkled. She always knew that Jack had a gift for auctioneering.

"Some China guy hired him. Mr. Fiji or Fudgymotors or something."

Prue quirked a brow. "Mr. Fujimotto?"

"Yeah!" Jeff twisted his head to the side, curious. "How did you know that?"

"Mr. Fujimotto was one of our biggest clients at Bucklands. He was always purchasing specialty items from us, usually Japanese relics." Prue closed her eyes, slightly groggy. "Every other month or so."

"I'll tell them you said hi."

Prue smiled. "Thanks." An awkward pause lapsed between them, and then she asked, "So what were you doing down at 415 anyway?"

"Oh…" Jeff's cheeks flushed a hot pink. "Well, Jack was supposed to have a photo shoot done there last week, but somehow it got canceled and anyway, he met this girl-"

"Jennifer."

Jeff smirked. "Are you psychic or something?"

Prue bit her lip in amusement. "Not me." She titled her head to the side. "I just know that Jen is a big flirt. She sits at the front desk. Pretty, thin, blonde…"

Jeff with's eyes rolled back behind her lids. "Tell me you're not still doing that!"

Jeff shrugged. "What can I say? Old habits are hard to break."

Prue smirked. "Apparently."

Jeff glanced down at his watch. "Hey, I'm sorry I can't hang out and chat, but I'm already late so…"

Prue flicked her wrist. "Oh, sorry. Go."

"I felt my card information at the front desk," Jeff added as he stepped out of the room.

Prue couldn't help but feel a twinge in her stomach. It wasn't completely Jeff's fault, after all, she had been so caught up in her own life that she hadn't bothered to look in her rearview mirror before she backed out. She had only ever done that three times in her life, and all had resulted in disaster.

From the corner of the room, the invisible darklighter smirked as he watched Prue feel more guilty by the moment. "This is working out better than I expected," he snickered. His hand slipped to his breast pocket and he pulled a photograph from the pocket. It was one of a familiar, bald headed darklighter of doubt. "It won't be too much longer before they realize the error of their ways."

----

Persia flung her coat onto the golden coat rack next to the door. The Manor wasn't exactly where she wanted to be, but Cole and Phoebe had decided to finally get to work on some major renovations on The Villa, and Persia had decided after about a week that she was not happy with the noise or the stench of paint and primer. She'd been hanging out at the Manor after work every day for two weeks straight.

At the moment, she was dirty, tired, and wreaked of hamburgers. Quite simply, she hated working at Wendy's. The pay was not worth the stress. Unfortunately she was graduating in the spring, and she needed to have money for college. Not to mention, having an adorable boss who didn't seem to notice her didn't help either.

"Aunt Piper?" The teenager hurried over to the stairs and started to climb them, only to see her aunt's worried face greet her at the top. Her face instantly paled. "I know that look," she scowled. "What's going on?"

"Thank goodness you're home," Piper said breathlessly. "I need you to scry for Tyler."

"Scry for him?" Persia's face hardened. "Is he in trouble?" She followed her aunt up to the attic, where a familiar map of San Francisco and a scrying crystal rested. Her heart gave a little smack against her rib cage as she sat down and wrapped her long fingers around the chain on the crystal.

"It's his parents," the Charmed One explained. She was so frazzled that she almost seemed to be physically shaking. "They were taken by demons…and then Prue, she's in the hospital and then Tyler left and-"

"Aunt Prue's in the hospital?"

"What happened?"

"A car accident." Piper placed her hand to her head, taking slow and deep breaths.

"Where's Leo?"

"With Paige, doing god knows what."

Persia dipped her hand into pocket and retrieved a cell phone. "Dad," she commanded, using her voice dial to call Cole.

"Persia?"

"Aunt Piper and I need you at the Manor." She could hear voices in the background, and envisioned her stepfather covering the phone to make an excuse to leave.

"What's going on?"

Persia bit her lip. "We need your help," she blurted out. "Aunt Prue is in the hospital, and Tyler and his parents are missing."

"What?"

Persia lifted her eyes to her aunt. "I don't know all the ins and outs, but I know that we need you here."

"Where's your mother?"

'Stuck in traffic,' Piper mouthed.

Persia's eyes grew. "Stuck in traffic?"

Piper wriggled her fingers, demanding the cellular device. When Persia placed it in her palm, Piper started to ramble even before she got it to her ear. "She says that there's some kind of accident involving care flight."

"Alright, I'll come over to help. But I need a few minutes to get out of this meeting."

"Thank you."

"No problem."

The line went dead. Piper held the cell out to her niece. "I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault." The crystal swung in circles as Persia concentrated on the map. "But what I don't understand, is why Tyler left."

Piper pursed her lips. "He was actually really strange right before he took off."

"Strange how?"

"He said that innocents didn't matter to me anymore; he said I was selfish. Then he…he threw the Book of Shadows on the floor."

"What?" Persia's mouth had fell into a round hole. She couldn't believe that Tyler had done that. That wasn't like him. Even at his worst, he still had respect for something as priceless as the Book of Shadows. "This isn't right." She pushed the chair back, shaking her head violently from side to side. "Something else has got to be going on. That's not Tyler." She darted towards the ancient leather tome.

"What are you thinking?" Piper asked. She peered over her niece's shoulder as Persia frantically flipped the pages of the Book.

"I don't know…Morality altering spells, Inhibition Demons-"

"Darklighters."

"What?" Persia looked up, confused. "Darklighters don't intervene with morality, they kill whitelighters."

"Not all darklighters," Piper said slowly. She shooed her niece from the Book and turned a few pages back, until it displayed a picture of what she was talking about. "They're a special breed of darklighter," she explained, "with extra abilities to manipulate a person into doubting themselves and those around them."

As Persia's sugar brown eyes moved down the page, she felt a tightening in her chest. _If this is what's got Tyler, it definitely would explain his behavior._

"If this is who's after him, we have to hurry. He's going to try and make Tyler hurt himself."

"Hurt himself?"

Piper bit her lip, just as Cole shimmered in. "Suicide."

----

A small clump of apartment buildings sat at the end of Charleston Avenue. From the large rips along the old street, complete with thriving weeds, it was obvious that this place was part of the much older San Francisco: either caused by the constant wear and tear of the countless people who preferred to walk, as driving was hellish, or this was leftover from the great quake of 1906.

As a bright yellow taxi cab pulled away, it left Tyler standing on the crack. His eyes were glazed as he stared up at the clump of windows in the apartment building that sat in front of the zigzagging break in the cement.

His sorrow laden eyes came to rest on one window in particular. It stood out from the others, particularly because the outside frame had been painted a soft carnation pink. As his lip began to tremble, he slowly sunk his teeth into it. He couldn't believe it was happening all over again.

_**----Flashback----**_

"_Tyler!" She was no more than thirty, with flowing golden blonde tresses and the deepest blue eyes one could imagine. Her face was round and soft, and had a naturally rosy glow. She ran a wooden handled brush through her satin locks as she stared into the mirror. She was dressed so nicely, obviously ready for some type of special occasion._

_Entering behind her, a handsome man with broad shoulders and a sailor's tan wrapped his arms around her. His hair, which once had been a sandy brown, was a fine sun bleached blonde. He wrapped his arms as far around her stomach as he could, for it was heavily pregnant and he couldn't reach all the way._

_Above them, a small five-year-old peered down from the second floor. His eyes twinkled as he watched his parents' loving eyes meet. He couldn't have asked for better._

"_Tyler!"_

"_Comin'!" He hollered. He climbed off the chair he was standing on, which had enabled him to peer over the side of the wall to the floor below him. Little Tyler grabbed his new red flip flops and slipped them onto his bare feet. He wiggled his toes excitedly._

_He almost tripped over his own feet as he tore down the stairs, making a sharp left turn, and then a right, before coming to a stop in the miniature living room. What he saw made every muscle in his body freeze._

_A fine mist of blood covered the soft pink walls. It was so fresh that he could still feel the warmth radiating from the small crimson flecks. His small eyes landed on a smear of thick blood that ran roughly five feet and a few inches from the floor, all the way ground. Small bits of blonde hair protruded from the smear, as it belonged to the man who laid at the smear's end: Tyler's biological father._

_When he heard his mother scream, it was so loud and so violent that it could've very well been mistaken for one of the pumped up screams he heard when he would sit at the heater duct, listening to the horror movies his parents had told him he couldn't watch._

_Bile seemed to rise in his throat as he heard thumps pounding towards the exit of his parents' room. It was the first demon he'd ever stared directly in the eyes; dark, cold, black eyes. He was scared to run. To even move. Especially when he saw what was clamped so tightly between the demon's fist: a clump of his mother's beautiful blonde hair, now tainted with gooey blood. He was dragging her by her hair!_

_Her head twisted slightly, against the demon's grasp. As she saw her saw through her blood caked lashes, she let out little cry. "Run, Tyler!" Vital red fluid dripped from her mouth as the demon let her head unceremoniously smack to the floor._

_The demon twitched his fingers as he reared his arm back, summoning a hot yellow sphere of electricity above his palm._

_The sphere reflected in Tyler's glassy eyes as his mouth fell open and his body shook with rage and sorrow and grief. The air in the room seemed to heat up to a smoldering temperature as leaping flames began to erupt from his parents' killer. "Mommy!" His small fists shook with rage as the demon's screams were buried beneath the roar of the suffocating flames._

_And then he ran. As fast as his legs would carry him, he ran. Although he never looked back, he could feel his mother's eyes watching him as he left…left her there to die._

_**----Flashback----**_

"You wish you would've died with them, don't you Tyler?" The darklighter of doubt leaned close to the young boy's ear. "Instead of leaving your poor mother to die alone while you left like a coward."

Hot tears seemed to literally sizzle down Tyler's reddened cheeks. His body shook as he breathed. "I-I'm sorry," he gasped, his eyes never leaving the pink window sill.

"If you had died with them, this never would've happened, would it, Tyler? You never would've put your foster parents in danger? They wouldn't be victims if it wasn't for you."

Tyler placed his hand to his stomach. It was churning. He wanted to puke. Even after all these years, he could feel the heat of the blood radiating from the pink walls. He could smell the heavy scent of death.

"You want to end it, don't you Tyler? You want to make sure you can't hurt anyone else with your selfishness again, don't you?"

Tyler found himself nodded as the voices he thought were only in his head told him to do the thing that was best for everyone. For all those that he loved. He had to end it. Now. His eyes turned towards the bay and settled on the frighteningly amazing bridge that San Francisco was so famous for. And now he knew how he'd end it.

_**TO BE CONTINUED….**_


	5. Prince Harming

A/N: Now for this chapter, I should warn any and all Paige/Kyle and Paige/Richard fans. I'm NOT a fan! lol I LOVE Paiglenn, I can handle Paige/Henry, I love Prake (Paige/Drake), and I adore Paidan (Paige/Aidan, from RJF's _A Blessing Or A Curse?_ trilogy.) So please no flames if one of your fandoms gets insulted from here on out.

_**The Akashic Heiress**_

**_Chapter 5: Prince Harming_**

"Hey, I remember this place," the youngest Charmed One announced as she tapped her finger against the wall. "We're watching my Evil Enchantress past life, aren't we?"

The whitelighter nodded faintly. Although he didn't know what was to happen, a certain type of foreboding about the scene before him gave him the chills.

The scene before them was of the familiar castle that Paige and her sisters, Piper and Phoebe, had faced before they had bound the powers of the Evil Enchantress. The floor was cold stone, as were the emotionless walls. There was a small window just above Paige's head and outside it was pitch black, lit only by the ominous bolts of zigzagging neon yellow lightning. The stone muffled the bone chilling thunder and kept out the freezing sheets of rain, but they also seemed to amplify the drafty wind that was howling through the walls.

"Where is she?"

As if on cue, frantic footsteps came pounding down the entryway, signally the entrance of two forms. One was very familiar, clothed in tight fitting emerald green satin with a flowering forest green velvet cape, trimmed in gold. A gold and emerald jeweled head piece was draped lazily around her head, allowing a piercing green gem to gleam from her forehead. Although this time the Enchantress looked frantic, in stark contrast to the arrogant confidence that she'd exuded when Paige had met her before.

The other form was a surprise. He was taller than her, tanned and had a head full of dark blonde-brown hair. He appeared to almost be falling over his large, clomping brown boots. Dark black tights hugged his legs, making them look rather scrawny and from just above his knees up, he wore what looked like a cross between a coat and a dress that was brown and trimmed in dark yellow fabric.

A thick leather belt was secured around his waist, complete with a small pouch and a large sheath, housing a sword no doubt. His hands were hidden behind over sized charcoal tinted gloves and a large brown collar extended from his neck to halfway down his chest. Within about the center of the length of the collar, a chain of connected golden coins rested, with the largest being the center coin.

Paige crossed the room, noting that even though the two had stopped moving, a thunderous clamor of feet could still be heard. Apparently they were being chased. _Why doesn't she use her powers?_ She mused. _Then again, maybe this was after we bound them?_

"There's no place to go," the Enchantress breathed. "It's a dead end!"

The man took her wrists, walking her to the very back wall, and shoved them to the stone. Gently, carefully, he placed his hand to the side of her face and pressed his lips to hers. "I love you, Anila, and if this means I have to die for you, then I will."

"It's not right," the Enchantress seethed. "Just because the Prince fears you! Fears your ability to heal. You've been his apothecary since he was born and you've done nothing but bring him health and happiness!" Her dark brown eyes were pleading now. "Please, Demitrius, just let me kill them!"

"No!" Demitrius shook his head furiously. "There will be no killing! I won't have you a murderer on my count!"

"But-" Her voice was lost in the thunder of voice and clashing of metal swords.

"Surrender, sorceress! You can't escape!" The Prince eyed his pray with contempt, stepping ahead of his guards.

"Demi-"

"No, Anila, it's okay." Demitrius stepped forward in surrender.

The Prince grinned, reveling in his all too easy victory. He grabbed Demitrius' arm, pulling him away from the Enchantress, Anila. Then he advanced on her, bringing the tip of his gleaming sword to her throat.

"No! Don't hurt her!" Demitrius shouted, as the royal guards surrounded him.

The Prince traced his finger across the side of Anila's cheek, caressing her soft skin as he pressed the tip of his blade tighter to her throat. "You've ran from me for the last time, sorceress. Now you and your apothecary will pay the price!" He drew back his sword.

"No!" Demitrius drew back his arms, pulling forth a handful of dark black powder from the satchel connected to his belt, and hurled it into the eyes of the threatening guards. Freeing himself from their grasp, he threw him in front of the impending attack. Dark red blood splayed across the room.

The Enchantress screamed, flinging out her arm and summoning the elemental power of wind to throw the Prince and his cavalry back through the entrance from which they'd came. Dropping to her knees, she bent over Demitrius' bloodied body and began to weep, as her lover's life quickly drained away.

Paige was also silently sobbing. This was so unlike the way things had been in the first life. She'd never saw the demise of Glenn's first past life. On the contrary; Phyre and Clarence had reached America with their daughter, Charlotte. But now Paige too was dropping to her knees, as her husband's past life was draining away.

Weakly, Demitrius placed a bloody hand to Anila's soft cheek. His eyes a cross between love and loss. "D-d-don't hurt him," he begged hoarsely. "D-d-d-don't k-kill."

The Enchantress wrapped her fingers around his head, pulling it into her lap and letting his warm blood soak into the green of her satin gown, which was rapidly turning black from the ungodly amounts of blood.

"Pr-romise m-me."

"Demitrius-"

"Promise me!"

Her hand shook, as she stroked the hair from his eyes. She wanted revenge so badly that it hurt and her eyes clearly showed it. Anila could see his lips moving again and she placed her index finger across them, hushing him. "I promise," she choked. Her tears were mingling with the bloody finger prints on her cheeks now.

"W-w-we'll be tog-gether soon," he soothed. Suddenly his frail body began to have shocking convulsions and with a final jerk, he was gone.

The Enchantress stared in numb shock for several minutes, staring at her lover's frozen eyes. Then her tears stopped and she wiped her eyes with the edge of her velvet green cape. Gently, she slid her hand over his face, shutting his eyes for the last time. Then she maneuvered his head off her lap and pulled to her full height, silently vowing revenge.

The elemental wind began to howl and her long dark locks of hair began to flail around her porcelain face, while her dark green cape sailed behind her. With grief empowering her, she extended a bloody hand to the wall and a searing orange fire beam blasted from her hand.

At first it did nothing, but soon the stone began to heat up, turning red and then following into a white hot color. Anila held out her other hand, this time a zigzagging bolt of pure lightning releasing from her palm. The wall instantly cracked and small pieces of stone began to break away from the thick stone fortress. The wind howled again, pushing heartily against the wall from both the inside and outside. Suddenly it broke, sending shards of sharp stone in every direction.

The Enchantress retracted her arms, placing them firmly by her sides. Her dark eyes stared straight ahead as a whirling wind deflected the shards of splintering stone. With her hair and cape still blowing madly, she began a dejected path out of the castle, stepping through the pool of blood and over the masses of jagged stone, walking straight through the hole in the castle wall into the raging storm.

The water pounded her mercilessly, but it appeared not to effect the sorceress. Almost instantly, the sheeting rain began to cleanse her of the apothecary's blood, leaving streams of watered red liquid to glaze the grass outside the castle and washing away her footprints, so that the Prince and his army would not be able to follow.

Although he didn't have to, Leo respectively moved around Demetrius' bloodied body, making his way to a crumbled Paige, just as the Prince and his army reemerged in the entrance. "Come on, Paige. It's time to go."

"But Leo," the witchlighter sobbed into his arms. "Th-th-they killed Glenn!"

"They didn't kill Glenn," Leo soothed. "They killed Demetrius. They killed his past life." He gently began to rub circles against her back, as the time portal began to swirl them off to their next destination.

----

Groans of passion filled the air, and from Paige and Leo's vantage points near the corner of a gaudily decorated bedroom, they could see the gyrating forms of a male and female, from behind the drawn silk of a huge canopy bed.

"Leo," Paige hissed in a low whisper. "What are we doing here?" She asked, placing her hand over her brown to shield her eyes. "I really don't think this is appropriate do you?" She questioned, shifting a still glassy eyed gaze to him.

The whitelighter's cheeks were flushing as he turned away from the bed as well. "I don't know, but obviously The Elders thought this was an important part of this life, or they wouldn't of sent us here."

"Or really?" The witch growled. "I don't see what's so informative about my past life getting' it on!"

His brain was telling him that The Elders had done this for a reason, but on some other level, he was starting to wonder if this was an accident too. "Paige, I don't know what to tell you," he stammered.

Suddenly the silken white curtain burst open as two people tumbled from the safety of the warm bed. Anila, wearing nothing but a pale blue silken gown that happened to be scrunched up around her waist, was straddling a charcoal haired man. The man was very skinny, but slightly muscular and had short, charcoal black hair. He pushed the Enchantress against the wall, his striking cerulean eyes became noticeable for a brief moment.

Paige turned away, not wanting to witness her past self in the middle of a very intimate moment. Realizing that Leo hadn't followed suit, she blindly reached behind herself and grabbed fruitlessly for a moment, before landing her nails into a meaty section of Leo's arm. She heard him emit a yelp of pain and yanked him towards the wall. "What did you think you were doing?"

"I wasn't looking-"

"That's what they all say," Paige snorted.

"Well I'm telling you, I'm not lying!"

"And I'm supposed to believe you, because you're an angel?"

There was a pause on the whitelighter's end and then he nodded, "Yes."

Again, Paige snorted in laughter. "I was a demon of a child, Leo. And I lied constantly." She dug her nails a little deeper into her brother-in-law's skin. "And you just proved my point." She cleared her throat, before glancing up at the ceiling. "Hey! What d'ya think you're trying to pull here? Show a little respect and take us some place that matters!" She waited for the whirling, but it didn't come. "Excuse me, Hanna, or whoever you are, get us out of here!"

There was another husky moan of pleasure and then the Enchantress screamed in ecstasy. "Kyros!"

_Kyros?_ Paige shook her head, the name seemingly jogging a memory that had been lost quite a long time ago. _Why does that name sound so familiar?_ Craning her head back to the couple, she cringed as she saw the Enchantress' nightgown go flying across the room. She quickly stole another glance at the man.

"Now who's looking?" Leo accused.

"Oh shut up!" Paige growled, turning back to the wall. Then it hit her and she practically smacked her head in realization. _Kyle! Kyle, Kyros. Kyros, Kyle. It makes perfect sense! This must be Kyle's past life!_

"Figure something out?" Leo asked, noticing the look of realization on his charge's face.

"Yeah," Paige answered slowly. "But it doesn't make any sense. Why would I need to be sent here to see Kyle's past life?"

"Who's Kyle?"

"A guy I dated back in High School. His name was Kyle Brody," the Charmed One explained. "See, Glenn was the first boy I ever dated. My first boyfriend. But after we split up, the very first time we ever split up, I went out with Kyle. In retrospect, I guess he was my rebound guy." A pleasure filled grin played on her cherry lips. "God, sex with him was so good! It was so," she began to twirl a strand of her dark hair, "angry. Again, in retro, I guess that was because I was so angry at Glenn for leaving me."

"So what happened with you and Kyle?"

"He was just using me," the whitelighter-witch confessed.

"Apparently his girlfriend was a year younger than him, and still a virgin. She didn't want to sleep with him yet. He conveniently left that part about the girlfriend out. Let's just say that he broke it off a couple months later, when he finally got her to cave."

Leo shook his head in disgust. "I'm sorry, Paige."

"It's fine, really." Paige shook her head. "No big deal and not a big loss. I mean, it was crushing at the time. But in the big picture," she spread her arms to emphasize her point, "not a big deal." A loud thump brought her attention back to the scene at hand.

Anila was sitting in a heap on the floor, scrambling to pull her nightgown down to cover her exposed body. "Kyros-"

Kyros slipped a heavy velvet coat around his nude form, fastening it with a black belt. He dipped his hand into the pocket and retrieved a handful of golden coins, tossing them at the Enchantress.

The Enchantress stared down the coins littering the floor around her with an incredulous expression. "What is the meaning of this?" She pulled to her feet, tucking her rumpled hair behind her ears.

Kyros slipped on his black stockings and slid his feet into his brown boots, before grabbing his sword from the other side of the room and injecting it into its sheath. "We can't be seen together anymore."

"But-"

"My wife-"

"Your wife?" Anila's voice was high now and her brown eyes seemed to blaze. "You have a wife?" She began to stalk towards him, fury burning in her brown irises.

Kyros raised his hand to her, backhanding her harshly across the face and sending her sailing back against the wall, slumping to the floor like a ragdoll. "My wife is due to bare an heir any day now," he hissed. "Once she's given life, I won't have any use for you." He narrowed his eyes, as he walked to a full length mirror and checked himself. "It's better that we end this early."

He turned sharply, making his way to the Enchantress and grabbing her by the throat, sliding her in reverse up the wall to look him straight in the eyes. "And if you think of trying to expose this affair," his voice was low and threatening, "I'll expose you and your whereabouts to the Prince himself! I know your past and I know he has a heavy bounty on your head, sorceress." On that note, he loosened his fingers and allowed her to drop back to the floor, leaving without so much as a goodbye.

Tucking her knees to her chest, the Enchantress' eyes sparkled with revenge. Not for Kyros, however, but for her former lover. As she clenched her fists, her knuckles turned a ghostly white. "Bare an heir," she whispered aloud. "I'll steal his kingdom. I'll conceive his heir, steal his kingdom, and have him die at the hands of his own flesh and blood!" Rising to her feet, she elicited hearty cackles. "It's perfect! It's the perfect revenge!" She stalked to her wardrobe, flinging open its doors and grabbing the same emerald attire she'd worn on the day that Demetrius had been killed.

Anila stripped herself of her night dress, throwing it to the ground with unrivaled fury. She donned the satin green gown, free of her former lover's blood that had been washed away by the rain so long ago, and then fastened the velvet cape around her neck. She trailed over to a small wooden jewelry box where a pentagram was carved into the top, along with a symbol for each one of the five elements. Flipping it open, she grabbed the jeweled head dress and draped it over her head, allowing the emerald to fall perfectly in the center of her forehead. "From this day on," she vowed as thunder boomed over head. "I shall be known as the Evil Enchantress! And I will have my revenge!"

Wide eyed, Paige turned to Leo. "She wasn't always evil."

Leo shook his head. "The lust for revenge and the pain of loss can turn even the best of people to the side of darkness, Paige."

As the room started to swirl, Paige instinctively took ahold of her brother-in-law's hand.

"You know why you had to see this now, don't you?" The blonde asked, his voice fading near the end of his sentence as the pair was swept away into the swirling vortex.

----

"I remember this," Paige whispered. She could see a younger version of herself fighting the Evil Enchantress. The Prince was in the background, watching with horror in his eyes, but only because of Anila's spell.

"Don't hurt her!" The Prince shouted, before he was thrown off his feet, via Anila's power.

Younger versions of Piper, Phoebe, and Leo scurried into the room. Piper and Phoebe were both armed with potions.

"Throw the potion," the younger version of the whitelighter-witch shouted, before channeling the Evil Enchantress' powers to send her flying off her feet. "Now!"

Obliging, Piper and Phoebe hurled their respective potions at the momentarily disabled Enchantress. The bottles cracked against the ground and the sisters watched in glee as their binding potions took effect.

The Evil Enchantress waved her arm, surprised and confused when nothing happened. "What have you done to me?"

"We've bound your powers, Enchantress," the younger version of the blonde whitelighter retorted.

"No more kingdom come for you," Phoebe quipped.

"Not for you," Piper chimed in.

Anila turned a confused face to the past version of the youngest Charmed sister. "How could you do this to me? To us?"

"I didn't do it," the youngest witch's younger version replied.

"We did it."

Before the Evil Enchantress had a chance to respond, Lady Julia came running into the room and straight to the Prince, helping him to his feet and planting a kiss on his lips.

"Oh," Piper murmured, turning her head away.

"I am well, my love," the Prince informed Lady Julia.

"My love," Phoebe breathed. "Looks like it takes the kiss of true love to break the spell."

"It's in every fairytale," the younger whitewitch murmured.

"All right, super witch. Get us out of here," Piper stated, before leaving with her the young versions of her sisters and husband.

Once he was sure that they had gone, the Prince drew forth his sword and advanced on Anila. "I knew I'd eventually be able to exact my revenge on you," he hissed. "You're powerless now, Enchantress."

Lady Julia snaked her arms around her lover, securing them around his waist as she stared benevolently at the Evil Enchantress. "Kill her."

"That's exactly what I intend on doing," the Prince whispered seductively. He dropped to his knees, straddling Anila and pinning her to the floor as he sat just at the edge of her stomach. "You know, I could almost see us as more," he whispered, drawing the tip of the glimmering blade from the base of her throat to the edge of her satin gown. He pressed the blade harder against her porcelain skin, causing it to contract as it tried to keep from breaking.

"We could've been more, sorceress." He traced the left side of her jaw with his index finger. As he opened his mouth to speak, his eyes burned as a fine globular of spit seeped into them. He roared in pain, rearing back and wiping the warm saliva away with the cuff of his sleeve. "Die!" He cried, driving the sword deep into the center of the Enchantress' chest. He pulled to his feet, twisting the sword against Anila's insides and savoring her physical pain, as crimson blood pooled against her green attire.

Anila's grimace turned to twisted smile and with her last breath she uttered a defiant, "Thank you." Her eyes slipped shut and her chest deflated, as it exhaled its last breath.

"They don't always have happy endings," Paige said as her eyes clouded with tears.

"Keep watching," Leo instructed.

A whitish hue surrounded her body, which went unnoticed by both Lady Julia and the Prince, as her spirit floated outwards. Looking around, she appeared to be alone for a moment. Then her eyes locked onto a small golden sphere, which had materialized out of thin air. She stared for a moment, watching as several other golden lights also materialized and then began to swirl of a whirlpool-like fashion, taking shape in the transparent form of her soul mate. "Demitrius!"

Demitrius appeared much the same as when he had died, but his clothes were night white and his large boots were golden, and his gloves were absent. His face was bright and smiling as he opened his arms, waiting for the love of his life and death, to fill them.

Anila elicited a high pitched squeal, before running into Demitrius' transparent arms and throwing her own around his neck, pressing her deep colored lips to his pale ones and reveling in a passion filled kiss. "I missed you," she whispered, pulling away.

"I missed you too," Demitrius replied, and punctuated every word with a kiss down the nape of the Enchantress' neck. When he looked at her again, he whispered into her ear, "Thank you."

"For what?"

"For keeping your promise," he indicated the Prince. "You didn't kill anyone."

"Only because of you." The Enchantress nuzzled against Demetrius.

"We have to go," he informed. "Death sent me to retrieve you. To take you to the afterlife." On cue, a bright white portal exploded before them. "Come. Much happiness awaits us."

The Enchantress kissed her soul mate again. "I love you."

Hand in hand, Demitrius led her into the white light. His words echoed through the room as they disappeared into the afterlife. "I love you too."

_**TO BE CONTINUED...**_


	6. When In Doubt

A/N: "I know you're all prolly hella mad," as my dear cousin would say. I know. I deserve rotten tomatoes. I have a horrible procrastination problem, I won't even lie. (I won't even get into the things my mom is mad at me for right now.) But since I have two weeks off for Spring Break and I haven't updated in months, I might as well do it now. kicks self Especially since I've got PMs from people during my absence asking me to update or when I'll update. I feel awful. So here's the next chapter. waits for the rotten tomatoes

_**The Akashic Heiress**_

**_Chapter 6: When In Doubt_**

Waves of goose bumps crawled across his exposed skin. The cold bay air was blowing directly into his face, causing his shaggy blonde hair to jump backwards. Tyler Michaels breathed heavily, inhaling all the scents of the water that lingered hundreds of feet below him.

Its serene blue depths looked innocent enough. From his vantage point, it looked like this glorious sea of blue glitter, calm and beckoning him to enjoy the peace it provided. And in his current condition, with the guilt of his family's brutal murders weighing on his heart and mind, it was just he escape he needed.

"Your wasting time, Tyler," the darklighter of doubt snarled. He was growing impatient as the young Firestarter stared at the gleaming water. He could already tell that the boy was strong, but he'd come too far to give up now. "Hurry, Tyler, end the pain now. You don't want to hurt anyone else too." He leaned close to the boy's ear and his hot breath caused the tiny blonde hairs on Tyler's neck to sway. "Like Persia."

Tyler's posture stiffened as the name bounced around his mind. Mechanically, he reached out his arms and wrapped his fingers around the icy red metal. Two hot tears finally fled his glassy red eyes as he placed one foot onto the railing, readying himself to push the other over the edge.

----

"Prue!" Piper rushed into her big sister's hospital room, nearly tripping over her own feet as she ran to the bed where Prue was resting. A smile played on her lips as she gently stroked a strand of raven hair from her sister's face. "Hey you."

Prue smiled softly as she moved her hand to meet Piper's. "Where's the fire?"

The particular phrase caused a twinge in the pit of Piper's stomach. "Are you okay?" She asked, ignoring the question and the twinge.

"I'm fine," Prue said quietly, staring down at her chest. "It was all my fault." She shook her head furiously. "I always look and today I didn't."

"It was an accident-"

"That very well could've killed somebody," Prue cut in. Her eyes bore into Piper's. Images of the crash that had landed Phoebe in the hospital when she was young flashed through Prue's mind.

Piper suddenly gripped the hand of her elder sister. "Oh my god."

Prue tilted her head to the side, unsure of what suddenly had Piper so upset. "What?"

"He's after you too!"

"Excuse me?"

"The darklighter!"

Prue sprang up from the bed and immediately regretted it. Sharp pains radiated through her head, almost rivaling some of the migraines she used to get back in college. Her eyes scrunched as she let go of her sister's hand to catch her head and lean it back down into the pink covered pillow. "Wh-what darklighter?" She murmured.

"We think there's a darklighter after Tyler," Piper said in a rush. "Persia and Cole are trying to find him right now." She fumbled with the numbers on her cell phone as she dialed her niece's cell.

Prue shook her aching head as her mind raced to put together the pieces of this puzzle. _A darklighter?_ She closed her eyes, only now realizing that something about the situation did seem frighteningly familiar. In fact, the same feelings of guilt and inner rage were also familiar. _But we vanquished him_, she reminded herself. _However, it's not evil doesn't resurrect itself…but why try the same tricks as the last time?_

"Prue?"

Piper's voice jolted the eldest witch from her thoughts. Her cerulean eyes lifted to meet Piper's. "Call Leo."

"He's busy."

"What could be more important?" She was getting frustrated again and her voice was elevating.

"I don't know," Piper admitted softly. "But both he and Paige are gone."

"I don't understand-"

"No time." Piper reached for her sister's hand. "We need to get you out of here. You can't stay here alone if one of these things is after you."

"They said I can't leave until tomorrow morning."

Piper flicked her brown eyes to the open door. She knew she couldn't leave her sister, but in the state Prue was in, she couldn't exactly help fighting their demons, or darklighter in this case, either. Then a thought occurred to her. She hurried to the door and grabbed one of the passing nurses by the shoulder. "Excuse me," she asked politely, "but do you think that my sister," she motioned to her bed ridden sister, "could get some sliced apples in here?"

A confused look crossed the young woman's face. Flustered, she slipped her shoulder out from Piper's grasp and nodded. "Uh…uh…sure. I'll be right back." She moved away, heading for the cafeteria.

As Piper turned back, Prue folded her arms and stared suspiciously. "What are you doing?"

Piper returned her eyes to the hallway, where they washed over the sight of many sick and injured patients being helped or wheeled along by doctors and nurses. Then her eyes landed on the thing she was looking for: a janitor who was sweeping the floor. "You'll see," she said quietly, before briskly walking over to the janitor.

----

The curve of his white sneakers barely held his heels to the edge of the bridge. The toes of his shoes dangled over the edge as he stared down at the vast water. With his eyes wide and mouth agape, he was too preoccupied with the long drop to notice that a group of onlookers had gathered, as well as two police cars with flashing lights.

"Young man…" One of the policemen emerged from his car and carefully treaded forward. His quick eyes saw Tyler's leg shake and he halted. "Young man," he said again, "I'd like to talk to you." He watched carefully as Tyler gripped the rusty colored metal as he contemplated the second biggest inner debate in his life thus far…the first being whether or not to leave his mother and unborn baby brother to die.

"Go. Away." His words were slow and deliberate.

"Young man-"

"I'll hurt you," he cut in quickly. "I hurt everyone."

"Your wrong."

Tyler's eyes brimmed with tears. "You don't know anything!"

"I don't, huh?" The policeman took a dangerous step forward. "I can tell you that I know what it's like to be where you are now."

"That's what they all say," the blonde spat bitterly, "and you're all wrong."

The policeman ran his hand over his dark hair in contemplation. Then he cocked his head to the side and studied the back of the teenager's head. "It feels cold, doesn't it? Like ice." He moved forward carefully. "And you think that if you could just let your fingers loose enough to fall, everything would get easier, don't you?"

"Shut up." A lump was forming in his throat. "Shut up, shut up, shut up."

"Let me tell you that you're wrong," the policeman continued. "The minute you step off that ledge, you'll know it." He was only a few feet away now.

"Don't let him come any closer," the darklighter of doubt whispered. His face had developed a crimson hue as he watched this mortal intrude on his kill. "Jump. End. It. Now!"

"Don't come any closer!" Tyler bellowed. His right hand broke away from the metal and the office jumped back in fear that the boy would actually do it.

"Stop blaming yourself, Tyler."

The blood in his body ran cold. He'd never heard that voice before, but somehow he knew whose it was. Lifting his head ever so slightly, a glowing golden hue caught his blue eyes. It was emanating off of a boy who shared his blue eyes and shaggy blonde hair, but had a rounder face, was shorter, and obviously younger than himself. "Philip."

Philip smiled broadly at the fact that Tyler knew his name. Then his face became serious once more. "It wasn't your fault," he repeated. His weightless body hovered over the open water, just feet away from where Tyler balanced on the ledge. "Mom knew we weren't going to make it, but she knew you could." A downcast look washed over his face. "So why are you trying to take that away from her now?"

"But I-"

"She told you to run," Philip insisted. His blue gaze hardened. "She wanted you to live. She wanted you to have a life and live it to the fullest." His transparent hand swung outwards over the water. "What the hell are you thinking?!"

The damn erupted and tears flew forth from his eyes. "I shouldn't have left you!"

The policeman watched on in awe as Tyler spoke to the air in front of him. Murmurs ran across the crowd as people whispered, wondering just what kind of psychological trauma Tyler had. _But that's not it_, he thought. The raw emotion in Tyler's face proved that to him. And then, to his horror, he saw Tyler reach out with his free hand and stumble. He lunged to the edge, just as Tyler's left hand broke free from the railing.

_**----Flashback----**_

_He was just out of her grasp. Then a few more inches, followed by a few more. Her fingers flexed, and the man became suspended in the air, before reversing his descent and coming back up just enough for the astral to grab his hand._

_He was a strikingly young man, with dark hair and deep blue eyes. And he gasped as he felt the projection's hand wrap around his. He honestly thought he'd been done for. His decision to jump had been a rash one. His car had been totaled in one of the wrecks, his only real possession which he couldn't afford insurance on. And so he'd ran to the edge and jumped. As soon as his feet left the side, he'd known it was a mistake. But he also knew that nobody could possibly save him now. At least, he thought nobody could._

"_I'm gonna help you back over," Astral Prue called. And with one hand she grabbed onto the railing to steady herself, while the other began to pull on his arm. He was very heavy, even for the skinny young man that he was. So she squinted her eyes, giving her the helping pull that she needed, and he flew up and over the railing._

_The man landed with a thump on the blacktop. His body ached, but he knew it would've hurt far worse had he landed in the water. Although it wouldn't have been for long. He placed both his hands on the ground and pushed himself up. "Thank y-" But he didn't see her anywhere. It was like, she'd saved him and just vanished into thin air. His eyes lifted skyward. "An angel."_

_**----Flashback----**_

"I've got you, son." The dark haired, blue eyed officer held Tyler's left hand tightly as he clutched the railing with the other. "I'm gonna help you back over," he breathed, before swinging his arm over and yanking Tyler with all his strength, before they both came toppling to the ground, safely behind the guardrail.

Looking behind himself, Tyler noticed that Philip was gone.

----

Her thumb clicked across her middle flinger and slid across her pointer finger, and in one quick motion and simultaneous snap, her arm had shot out like an arrow. A jet of neon yellow electricity exploded from her pointer finger and flew across the room, slicing right through the legs of a running demon.

Cole moved to the fallen demon and grabbed him by the throat before throwing him into the wall. Bits of rock cracked around and fell as the trembling minion.

Persia slipped up behind her step-father and held up her hands. Yellow sparks clicked on her fingertips as she moved her hand threateningly to his neck. "Tell me where he is!"

"I-I-I d-don't know," he cowardly replied.

"Wrong answer!" Persia slammed her fist into the demon's gut, causing him to double over as a visible electrical shock coursed through his entire body. She opened her fist, revealing a small Baker High class ring. "This ring says you do!" Sparks began to sizzle from her hand once more. "Now, do you want to rethink that answer?"

"I-I s-swear," the minion choked, "I don't know wh-where he is." As Persia raised her fist to strike, he held up his hands in defense. "Wait!" He closed his eyes, breathing heavily. "I do know about his parents."

Persia and Cole exchanged looks, silently trying to decide whether or not to trust him.

"Where are they?" Cole inquired, not once taking his hand away from the demon's throat. "But if you lie to me-"

"I don't know," the demon admitted. As Cole's fingers began to dig into the flesh around his throat he whispered, "B-but I kn-know who took them!" Feeling the half demon's vice grip he gasped, "Vern-" Bright orange flames spiked around him, licking up the entire length of his body and devouring him as he cried out in apology, leaving nothing but a pile of black ash as a reminder.

"Vern?" Persia said aloud. "Do you know any demons by the name of Vern?"

"No, but I don't think that's what he meant to say." Cole held out his hand. "Can I see the ring?"

Persia bit her lip before releasing the ring into her step-father's possession. It was all she had of Tyler right now and she didn't really want to let it go.

Cole brought the small, silver class ring to his face and examined it. "If this tracked us to a minion for the demon who took his parents, maybe you can reword it to take it to the demon who took them himself?"

"Okay," Persia replied softly. "I can try." She took her step-father's hand and they vanished in demonic ripples.

----

Piper shut the hospital door and then grabbed the janitor's broom, which was now leaning against the wall. She started to sweep from east to west as Prue gawked.

"I don't know if that's really going to work," Prue smirked. "Kind of commercial, isn't it?"

Sparks ignite on the bristles of the broom. Suddenly the broom glows and Piper flashes a grin. "Don't underestimate the power of a houswitch."

Prue squinted her eyes as she eyes the television above her sister's head. She grabbed the remote on the stand next to her and begins and presses 'Mute' to un-mute the television. "Is that Tyler?"

"What?" Piper dropped the broom and whirled around to greet the television. She waved her hand. "Turn it up, turn it up!"

Prue jabbed her thumb to the volume arrow and the volume began to rise. On the screen, she was watching a young blonde boy, whose face was turned away from the cameras, talking to a dark haired police officer behind a line of yellow police tape. A crowd had gathered and camera flashes were going off all over the place. The headline read: 'Teen Jumper!'

"Jumper?" Piper breathed. It was then that she realized the scenery behind them was that of the bay and the Golden Gate Bridge.

The camera then focused on a woman in a purple suit with her hair in a tight bun and a microphone in her hands. "I'm here live at the Golden Gate Bridge, where our source has reported that a teenage boy by the name of Tyler, attempted to jump off the bridge and was miraculously saved by one of San Francisco's finest, who's name has not yet been released."

----

Outside the door, a trail of black and dark blue orbs bounced off of Prue's hospital door and smacked onto the tile floor, forming into the darklighter of doubt. His eyes went wide as he stood up and reached for the handle. An electrical shock hit his hand and he yanked it back, realizing a small burn now marred his hand. His teeth clenched. "Witches!"

----

A pulsating green glow bounced off a uniform section of the Underworld, giving it a frighteningly eerie look. The said glow was coming from a massive cage, made entirely of pure magic. Within its barriers, coward two helpless, middle aged individuals: Tyler Michaels' adoptive parents.

From the ceiling of the cavern, a shaft of black and dark blue orbs swarmed into place, materializing into the darklighter of doubt. His face was dark, almost a purple color in the green hue of the cage. "Vernon!"

A green swirl of particles exploded in the center of the room, coming together quickly to form a hooded creature with bear-like paws that poked from its exposed robes. Its face couldn't be seen, except for tow bright red dots that glowed from under the hood. They looked like two pieces of fire red charcoal.

The darklighter of doubt was pacing now, as if he hadn't even seen Vernon arrive. His lips were moving quickly, angry and frustrated. "I will have one of them," he snarled. Then he turned quickly to Vernon and hissed, "Kill them!"

_**TO BE CONTINUED….**_

A/N: I know this is nasty short, but at least it's better than nothing. The next chapter, which is nearly done, is longer.


	7. Touched By A Whitelighter

A/N: I've been getting increasing reviews and PMs, asking when I'll be updating. I'm not going go to into things right now, but I will say that I finally got my own laptop (YES) and now I have a place to write where nobody will be popping in and wiping the hard drive anymore. Woo hoo! Sorry for the long awaited chapter. I hope it's okay.

_The Akashic Heiress_

_Chapter 7: Touched By A Whitelighter_

"Are we in the eighteen-hundreds?"

"Eighteen-nineties," the whitelighter exacted.

"Oh my gosh! I've always loved this time period, Leo! Aren't their dresses just gorgeous?"

"Well, uhm..." The whitelighter placed a hand to his throat, clearing it. "I'm really not one to ask, Paige. That's a woman's department."

"Excuse me?" The witch's slender fingers curved around her hips.

"I meant that in a good way!" The blonde defended. "I meant that

I have no style what so ever, especially not in dresses, so you shouldn't ask me!"

Paige reached out, pinching a piece of Leo's plaid flannel shirt between her fingers. "I suppose I can accept that, but only because of your obvious lack of style."

"Hey, these are perfectly good shirts!"

"They're plaid flannel, Leo."

"So?"

Paige threw her arms into the air, turning away from her sister's husband. "Men," she snorted. A few moments later she began to incessantly tap the toe of her Charles David against the dance floor.

The room was huge and packed from side to side with paying customers. A stage glittered brightly at the head of the room, where an act with about four show girls were dancing with feathers and singing a catchy tune that Paige nor Leo had ever heard before. Almost every person in the room held either a pipe, or liquored beverage, and some even held both.

"I think that's her."

Paige twirled around, following the angel's outstretched finger, to a spitting image of herself. "She's beautiful!" Paige grinned, striking a pose. "I'm beautiful."

Leo rolled his eyes. "I knew that was coming." He quickly pulled in his arm, knowing Paige was due to smack him, but he was a mere second too late. "Ow!"

The past life stood near the entrance of the cabaret, clad in a gorgeous dark magenta dress. It had a tight fitting bodice which sharply narrowed at the waist and then bloomed into a bell shaped skirt, reaching down to the floor. The neckline dipped to just above her bust in a rectangular shape, with rounded edges, trimmed in cream colored lace. The sleeves of the extravagant attire were small puffs of fabric, no larger than an orange, which covered her shoulders. Up to her elbows extended off-white satin gloves and in her left hand she held an expansive white and pink fan.

Golden chandelier drop earrings dangled from her ears and a strip of dark pink velvet curved around her porcelain neck, holding a white cameo with a rose background, trimmed in gold. Her deep mocha hair was pulled into a high bun, while wavy curls drifted down on either side of her face, accentuating her angelic features.

"Follow her," Leo instructed. Grabbing the witch's hand, he pulled her directly through the crowd, running after the young woman as she veered off towards a darker, less populated part of the cabaret.

"Gee Leo, rough much?" Paige grumbled, panting as she tried to keep from falling over her own feet. She stopped abruptly as she rounded the corner, where she toppled straight into her guide.

The past life stood serenely near a very burly man in a black tailcoat, with a drink in his right hand.

"Women aren't allowed back here," the man hissed. His black handlebar mustache wavered from his angered, and quite liquored, breaths.

The past life batted her eyelashes sweetly. "Oh, you don't know who I am, do you?" She held out a hand, dipping it before the man's face. "Angelica Meeks, Sir. I'm looking for my date and I'm guessing you might know him? Mr. Ricardo Montaine?"

The burly man's brow furrowed. "Mr. Montaine is busy, Madame."

"Really?" Angelica lowered her eyes to the ground as if threatening to cry. "He told me he'd be back in ten minutes, but that was twenty minutes ago. I'm worried sick, Sir." She lifted her petite head, batting her thick lashes. "If you see him, will you tell him that I'm looking for him?" As she caught the man's stare, she washed her hand over the top of his glass.

"Of course, Madame. Anything for a lady friend of Mr. Montaine."

"Much obliged, Sir." Angelic curtsied, before gently turning around and walking straight through Leo and Paige.

"Did you see that?" Paige whispered. Walking over to the man's glass, she could see a light fizz sprouting from the bottom. "She drugged his liquor."

The man slid his pudgy fingers across his mustache and placed the drink to his lips, savoring the sweet red liquid. Moments later he landed on the floor with a bang and the empty glass rolled from his listless fingers.

Slipping back down the hall, Angelica grinned. "So much for you, buddy." Gathering the edges of her skirt, she stepped over the drunken man's body and jiggled the door handle, walking into the dark room and shutting the door behind her.

After literally walking through the wall, it took Paige and Leo's eyes a minute to adjust, before they spotted Angelica scurrying skillfully around well placed boxes. They followed.

A small candlelight flickered at the edge of the room and Angelica knew that this was where she needed to stop. She closed her fan, dipping it into one of the deep pockets of her dress and grabbed the edge of a dark velvet curtain. With a swift motion, she drew it back to reveal several scared children ranging in age from nine to fourteen. She emitted a small gasp, before bending down to stroke the head of the nearest child. "Hey there," she whispered softly. "No need to be afraid. I'm here and I'm going to get you out of here, okay?"

As she reached for the gag on the mouth of the nearest child, a creaking door caught her ears. "Damn!" Pulling forth the curtain, she attempted to dive out of view and take cover behind the nearest box, only to discover that the hem of her dress was caught on a loose nail on the floor. "Come on," she whispered, pulling fruitlessly at the dress as a small shaft of light entered the dark room. Finally the dress ripped and she dove behind the box, just in time to see a shadowy figure walk in. She held her breath, hoping that the man would turn away.

"Who's here?" He called into the darkness, taking long slow strides towards the curtain. "Come out, come out, where ever you are..." He raised a lantern, shining it unto the walls of the storage room and saw nothing. Crossing over to his captives, he swung opened the curtain to find nothing amiss. He frowned. "I know someone was here," he growled under his breath.

Behind the box, Angelica quietly exhaled. Watching as the man turned to leave. Then she held her breath when he stopped and began to sniff the air.

The man's face twisted into a wicked grin as she flashed the lantern around the air again, this time bending own and retrieving something from the floor. "I knew there was a reason I didn't get that nail fixed," he sneered, holding a piece of the magenta fabric to the light. Slipping something from the inner flap of his white vest, he peered around a few random boxes, before heading towards Angelica's. "Angelica," he snarled, "I know you're here. And you aren't getting away." Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw a flash of pink and he dove, catching the arm of the lady in question.

"Please, Ricardo-"

"I knew you were too good to be true," Ricardo sneered, pushing the girl against the wall. As he did so, his face caught the light of the lantern.

Paige gasped. "Richard!" She tugged at Leo's arm. "I used to date this guy named Richard Montana. I was sixteen, just shortly before my parents died. He got me into all sorts of trouble. We'd steal a lot of small convenience stores. I dumped him when he wanted to rob one and I refused to go that far."

Angelica shuddered. "I was only-"

"Trying to thwart my plan." He pressed the cold mouth of his pistol to Angelica's temple. "And now you're going to pay the price." He turned towards the curtain of children. "We came in together, seeing the drunk man at the door and we discovered the children. Unfortunately a shot rang out too late and I couldn't save you." He cupped her mouth to muffle her scream and then threw her to the side, as he shot the pistol.

As the blood spattered, Paige grabbed Leo's arm and the room began to whirl around them.

----

"Are we back already?"

"No."

"But-" Paige flicked her wrist around the misty white floor and glowing room. "We are up in Elder Land, aren't we?"

"Yeah, but it's not what you think."

"I don't get it."

"Paige! If you'd stop asking so many questions, maybe you would!"

"Now you're losing your temper? Aren't whitelighters supposed to be the good, cool guys?"

"Are you always cool, Paige?"

"I'm half whitelighter, honey. It only half applies to me."

Spheres of white, supernatural light began to twist and whir in the center of the room, then exploded into the form of Angelica Meeks. She was no longer dressed in her former party dress, but a more simple form fitting white gown and her hair was down, flowing freely against her back. "Where in the world-"

"You aren't in your world anymore," an ominous male voice boomed. It was almost like surround sound.

From the mist dissolved a long, white arching table and three figures: two male and one female. Each was dressed in golden, hooded robes and the female sat front and center.

"The Elders?"

Leo merely nodded.

"Miss Meeks," the center Elder informed, "you've been chosen."

"Been chosen for what?" The brunette inquired rather fearfully.

"To ascend to a higher power," spoke the Elder to the female Elder's right. "You have done very special things during your lifetime and your latest action saved the lives of ten children. For that, you have been chosen to be rewarded."

"How so?"

The left Elder chose to speak up now. "With magic."

"Magic?" Angelica's eyes bulged. "Magic doesn't-"

"On the contrary, Miss Meeks. Magic is all around you. Your very aura is magic." The female Elder rose now, circling past the males and making a beeline for Angelica. "I am Sandra," she introduced. "I'm an Elder. And your duty, if you choose to accept it, is to become a whitelighter."

"A whitelighter?"

"A guardian for witches. A protectress."

"Witches?"

"Yes, they're real, Miss Meeks." Sandra waved her hand, creating an image in the mist. The image expanded to show a witch and demon battling. The demon appeared to be winning and once it had felt that it had won, leaving the witch to bleed out, it shimmered away. Moments later a cloud of blue orbs deposited a young woman who bent down to heal the woman, only to disappear moments before the witch could awaken to see her protector. The image dissolved back into the mist, as Sandra turned an awaiting gaze to Angelica. "Do you have an answer?"

"How?"

"We endow you with divine abilities," Sandra explained. "You will endure a rigorous training program and you will study a rule book-"

"A rule book?"

"Yes," one of the male Elders bellowed. "There are very important rules that go along with such gifts. The first and foremost being that you cannot become attached to your charges. They mustn't know you exist. You must work your way into their lives in secret."

"And you must never have romantic relations with a charge," the second male Elder sneered.

Sandra nodded quietly. She crossed her arms, pushing for an answer on Angelica's part.

Angelica placed a hand to her head, attempting to digest all of the new information. She couldn't quite believe that all of this was real. As she looked back to Sandra, she felt her lips moving. "Okay."

"I was a whitelighter?" Paige gaped.

"A witch, a sorceress, and then a whitelighter. Naturally, the next course for your essence to become was a whitelighter-witch."

Paige nodded faintly. "So, what will my future essences become then? A Goddess?" She gave a nervous chuckle.

"No. Goddesses are immortal, which means that they are composed of a brand new essence. One that will never die and never be reused." Leo ran a hand through his soft blonde hair. "And your essence won't be used again after you die."

"Why not?"

"Because once an essence has achieved something of monumental greatness, then it's stopped being recycled. That goes for you and your sisters. The essences of witches as prophesied at the Charmed Ones definitely fulfill the greatness standard, don't you think?"

"I suppose."

"Come on, I think we've got one more stop to make." Leo looped his hand with Paige's and the angelic room before them drained away.

----

Paige gaped. She was standing at the foot of a king sized bed, where a spitting image of her husband was slipping on a pair of slippers.

"Glenn is in all of my past lives?"

"You're soul mates, Paige. Of course he's in every one of your past lives."

"But I was a whitelighter in this life. Doesn't that mean I can't be in love?"

Leo crossed his arms, looking curiously at the witch. "And what do you know about yourself?"

"That I...break the rules?"

"And did you just start doing that in this life?"

"Maybe?"

Leo smirked.

The bathroom door swung open, and a hot burst of steam flew out as Angelica walked out. A white towel was wrapped tightly around her sopping locks and a smooth white satin robe clung to her wet skin. She smiled serenely, as she slipped over to the man on the bed and nuzzled his ear.

"Angelica," the man gently cupped her hands in his. "There's something I need to tell you."

Angelica quirked an eyebrow, a smile playing on her rosy lips. "I'm listening."

"This is serious, Angie."

"Araian," she withdrew her hands. "I don't understand why you would think that I'm not being serious."

Araian drew in deeply. "I really care about you, An. And if this is to go any further, I want you to know the truth about me."

"The truth about you?"

"The truth that I'm a witch."

Angelica stood silently for a moment. Her mouth hung open in an o shape, not sure whether to continue acting as his house maid and secret mistress, or to confess about her being a whitelighter and her cover as his house maid.

"You don't believe me," he whispered knowingly. "I'll prove it to you." He pointed his hand at the dresser across the room and jerked his arm backwards. The dresser screeched as it was telekinetically pulled across the hardwood floor. "It's called telekinesis. It means I can move things with my mind."

Biting the bullet, she whispered, "I know."

"You...know?"

"Yeah." Angelica turned her head away, refusing to make eye contact with her secret lover. "I was sent to protect you. You weren't supposed to know."

"Sent to protect me?" Araian was off the bed now, pacing the room.

"I'm a whitelighter. It's a guardian angel for witches."

Angelica chewed her lower lip, tears threatening to spill.

"You lied to me?"

"Araian-"

"Don't you know how hard this was for me to tell you? What a risk I took? And you knew the whole time, but you didn't tell me?"

"You weren't supposed to know!" The whitelighter screamed, jumping to her feet. "I wasn't supposed to have relations with you, beyond guardianship. But I did! I fell in love with you!"

Araian seemed to stagger, catching the edge of the dresser for support. "Why?"

"Why? I don't know. You tell me how love works!"

"No," his voice soothed. "Why wasn't I supposed to know?"

"Because witches and whitelighters are forbidden to fall in love."

"Why?"

"I don't know," she whispered. "It's just a rule."

"Maybe it can be changed?"

"They won't."

"Who?"

"The Elders."

"The Elders? What are they?"

"My bosses."

"Take me to them."

"I can't."

"Why?"

"It's forbidden." Suddenly she gasped, grasping at her heart.

"Angelica?" Araian started towards her.

"No!" The whitelighter gasped, dropping to her knees. "I-I've said too much!" Suddenly dark swirls of blue and white surrounded her, orbing her away against her will.

"No!" Araian staggered to the floor, grasping at the air where she'd been. "Come back! Bring here back!" He screamed, looking to the heavens.

Another swirl of the same style lights appeared before him.

"Angelica?"

"No." Sandra stated flatly. She stood stoic to the kneeling man, pulling a small satchel from her golden robes.

"Bring her back!"

"She's broken the rules and she's been stripped of her guardian duty," Sandra replied. She dipped her hand into the satchel.

"Why?"

Instead of answering the witch, Sandra blew the white powder from her hands into his face. She stared at his trance-like face and opened her mouth. "You will remember none of these events. You will go to bed and when you wake up in the morning, you will know that Angelica has resigned and moved away. You will never see her again and you will move on with your life. Now go to bed."

Robotically, Araian turned away from the Elder and walked to his bed, climbing beneath his covers and closing his eyes.

Satisfied, Sandra orbed away.

Paige frantically turned to Leo. "B-but don't they get together in the end? What about them being soul mates, Leo?"

A wistful look filled Leo's eyes, something that did not go unnoticed by Paige. "Sometimes even soul mates don't make it, Paige." His finger drifted towards the sleeping Araian. "There is no happy ending for this story."

"What happens to him?"

"He marries a woman named Jessabelle and lives out the rest of his life. They never have children and he eventually becomes quite closed off from the world."

"And Angelica?"

"She's stripped of her powers and her soul was dissolved."

"Dissolved?"

"The equivalent of a demonic vanquish. The Elders didn't want to send her to the afterlife, because they didn't want her to reconnect with Arian when he finally passed on. Angelica's soul was dissolved and essentially absorbed into good magic as a whole."

A tightness gripped the pit of Paige's stomach. Never in her wildest dreams had she hated The Elders as much as she did in that moment. She closed her eyes. Her mind was swimming. She vaguely recognized Leo's arms around her shoulders and the familiar swirling took effect. She was going back to her time, but what she'd seen from her past life would haunt her forever.

**_TO BE CONTINUED..._**


End file.
